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Mark S. Shapiro, Ph.D.

Professor

Cellular and Integrative Physiology

Currently seeking Ph.D. students

Physiology and modulation of ion channels in brain and peripheral nerve, and role in disease

Neuroscience, Epilepsy, Neurotrauma, Pain, Stroke, Cognitive Function, Drug Addiction

My research program spans the physiology and modulation of voltage-gated K+ and Ca2+ channels, and  TRP cation and Ano1/2 Cl- channels in neurons and non-excitable cells.  We have focused on signal transduction pathways of G protein-coupled receptors, using electrophysiology of native neurons and heterologous systems, biochemistry, confocal and advanced microscopy, molecular biology and live single-cell and whole-animal imaging. Our lab is both basic science and translational, spanning molecular biophysics to behavior.

Related diseases: epilepsy, drug addiction, pain, traumatic brain injury, stroke, drug addiction, cognitive dysfunction, cardiovascular control, psychiatric disease, brain development, hearing loss/tinnitus, and others.

Techniques: Patch clamp electrophysiology of native neurons brain slice and heterologous systems, advanced microscopy of single living cells using confocal and single-molecule TIRF techniques, super-resolution microscopy, immunochemistry, biophysical chemical analysis, structural biology including X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy, immunochemistry including immunoblots and immunohistochemistry, molecular biology, transgenic animals, model animals in disease states, animal behavior, transcriptional analysis using PCR and multiplex.