Dravet syndrome mouse models for novel gene therapy development – Dr Moran Rubinstein, Tel Aviv University
Dravet syndrome is severe childhood-onset epilepsy, caused by loss of function mutations in the SCN1A gene. Novel therapies aim to restore SCN1A expression in order to address all disease manifestations.
Researchers developed a method to target specific neurons and change their excitability with light for long periods of time
A new method for modulating neural activity using optogenetic polymerization and assembly of electroactive polymers on specified cellular membranes.
Researchers Discover Genetic Variant Associated with Earlier Onset Childhood Epilepsy
The recurrent SCN1A p.R1636Q variant causes a clinical entity with a wider clinical spectrum than previously reported, characterized by neonatal onset epilepsy and absence of prominent movement disorder.
Ion channels and cancer meeting 2022
This meeting will be dedicated to exploring ion channel regulation from molecular biophysics to physiology and clinical applications in cancer biology. Meeting will also include one ECS session: “Calcium signaling in cancer”.
Voltage-gated sodium channels and cancer – Dr William Brackenbury, University of York
Repurposing VGSC-inhibiting medications to cancer may hold promise for reducing metastasis.
Membrane proteins and mechanisms of disrupted cellular homeostasis – Anna Greka, Harvard Medical School, USA
Anna Greka leads a program focused on dissecting fundamental mechanisms of disrupted cellular homeostasis in genetically-defined kidney, metabolic and degenerative diseases…
Understanding the function of sodium channel accessory proteins using pain-causing toxins – Prof Irina Vetter, University of Queensland
The pharmacological activity of pain-causing toxins can provide critical insights into the molecular mechanisms underpinning sensory neuron function and pain…
New test can help patients with cystic fibrosis
Challenged urine bicarbonate excretion may be an in vivo biomarker of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) function.
Gain-of-function mutations in Nav1.6 and epileptic seizures – Dr Manoj Patel, University of Virginia.
Many de novo missense mutations of SCN8A, the gene that encodes for Nav1.6, have been identified and patients have seizure onset between birth and 12 months of age…
Biophysical Society Annual Meeting
The Biophysical Society annual meetings are the largest annual gathering of biophysicists around the world.
7th RSC-BMCS / SCI Symposium on Ion Channels as Therapeutic Targets
This symposium, the 7th in an ongoing series, will showcase the most recent advances to aid the design of new ion channel therapeutics and promote interaction between scientists with a shared interest in the field of ion channel drug discovery.
Ion Channels in Cancer Biology
This will be an inaugural scientific event, providing a platform for the sharing and critical analysis of the latest cutting-edge research findings, most recent movements and latest upgrades in the new field of Ion Channels in Cancer.
Cambridge Ion Channel Forum
Metrion Biosciences and AstraZeneca are delighted to be co-hosting the 2023 Cambridge Ion Channel Forum at the Babraham Research Campus Conference Centre on the afternoon of Wednesday 10th May 2023.
You will have the opportunity to enjoy a series of presentations from esteemed ion channel scientists, promote your research during the dedicated poster session and network with other ion channel enthusiasts.
The Calcium and Cell Function Conference
The program will address the rapidly moving research on receptor-regulated calcium signaling and the critical questions that are key to establishing future therapies for cardiovascular, airway, gut, liver, immunoinflammatory, metabolic and neurological disorders.
1st NALCN workshop: The Sodium Leak Channel in health and disease
This workshop aims to cover all aspects of NALCN research, including involvement of patient families & physicians, and research highlighting in vivo studies, along with NALCN molecular structure and function.
Mapping the Pain Landscape: From Molecules to Medicine
This 2023 SGP Meeting will be focused on the topic of pain and will offer an excellent opportunity for participants to interact with leading scientists tackling impactful questions in the pain field, from the biophysical to behavioral level.
Scientists uncover potential “electrical language” of breast cancer cells
The high-throughout, cellular-resolution imaging data indicate that Vm fluctuates dynamically in subpopulations of highly aggressive breast cancer cell lines.
Pacemaker Channel Discovery Could Lead to Better Heart Drugs
Anionic lipids unlock the gates of select ion channels in the pacemaker family
Gene therapy targeting overactive brain cells could treat neurological disorders
UCL researchers developed a gene therapy strategy that self-selects pathologically overactive neurons and down-regulates their excitability via controlled expression of Kv1.1.
Extracellular fluid viscosity enhances cell migration and cancer dissemination
Elevated viscosity counterintuitively increases the motility of various cell types in a TRPV4-dependent manner.
Study Identifies Potential New Treatment Target for Sleep Apnea
TRPM7 channels regulate breathing during sleep in obesity by acting peripherally in the carotid bodies.
The Channelopathy Conference 2024
World-renowned speakers, pioneers in the field of channelopathies, will present their latest discoveries.
TRPC6 Blocking Improves Muscle Function and Survival in Mice with Severe Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Researchers discovered that blocking the TRPC6 channel in genetically modified mice with severe or moderate Duchenne muscular dystrophy substantially improves their skeletal and cardiac muscle function, bone deformities and survival.
A New Mechanism Responsible for Controlling Auditory Sensitivity
cAMP and voltage modulate rat auditory mechanotransduction by decreasing the stiffness of gating springs.
New findings reveal how neurons build and maintain their capacity to communicate
While the biosynthesis of the voltage-gated Ca2+ channels does not play a major role in regulating their abundance at presynaptic active zones, both trafficking and recycling at active zones are important regulatory steps.
Opening New Doors: First Synthetic Mechanosensitive Potassium Channel
Inspired by mechanosensitive potassium channels found in nature, researchers have developed the first synthetic mechanosensitive potassium channel.
Breaking the vicious itch-scratch cycle by targeting ‘miswired’ neurons
Researchers showed that the Piezo2 channels in Merkel cells are responsible for the itch triggered by mechanical stimulation in dry skin.
Researchers discovered novel light-gated potassium channel
Researcher have discovered two naturally occurring channelrhodopsins enabling optogenetic control of K+ gradients, which is promising for the study and potential treatment of potassium channelopathies such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and long-QT syndrome and other cardiac arrhythmias.
Research reveals surprising inactivation mechanism for a voltage-gated ion channel
New findings elucidate mechanisms of closed-state inactivation and voltage-dependent activation of the KV4 channel.
Gene therapy inspired by bacteria shows promise for cardiac conduction disorders
Scientists demonstrated that prokaryotic sodium channels can be directly, specifically, and stably expressed in cardiomyocytes through viral gene delivery to augment tissue excitability and conduction.
A striking difference between neurons of humans and other mammals
Human neurons have fewer ion channels compared to the neurons of other mammals.
Chemists discover the structure of a key coronavirus protein
An essential protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the envelope protein E, forms a homopentameric cation channel that is important for virus pathogenicity.
Outstanding ion channel scientists receive honorary awards
October 2020 has really become a month of awards for ion channel researchers.
Is crowdfunding an option to finance your research?
Crowdfunding emerged as an interesting option of raising money for small research projects and it could be particularly interesting to early-stage scientists and students. Discover the platforms for crowdfunding scientific research in this article.
What is an ion?
Outside of science, many people have a completely different idea of what an “ion” actually means.
Ardem Patapoutian and David Julius have won the 2020 Kavli Prize in Neuroscience
The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters has decided to award the 2020 Kavli Prize in Neuroscience to David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian “for their transformative discovery of receptors for temperature and pressure.”
Trends in ion channel paper authorship
This article shows how authors are distributed over ion channel papers (the number of authors per paper).
How many ion channel scientists are there?
How many ion channel scientists, labs, companies are there in the world? See the estimate in this article.
TOP ion channel-friendly journals
The choice of the journal for publishing your research is a strategic decision. This article will help you to chose the ion channel-friendly journal to publish your research in.
Ion channel journal trends
How many journals publish ion channel-related research? Do we need a lot of journals?
Extraordinary ordinary patch-clamp
The paper on patch-clamping by Erwin Neher and Bert Sakmann (1976) has been selected as 1 out of 10 extraordinary Nature papers.
Membrane transport
Every cell possesses a variety of sophisticated membrane transport systems allowing for control of the intracellular environment.
History of ion channels
Before the 1660s the Theory of Animal Spirits dominated thinking regarding the function of the nervous system. “Animal spirits” (originating in the brain) were believed to control movements of the body by flowing through the nerves into the muscles.
Ion channel publication trends
Here is the outlook of an ion channel research productivity expressed in the number of ion channel-related papers per year.
Nobel Prizes
The scientific community has recognized the crucial importance of ion channel research by four Nobel Prizes for the discoveries concerning the structure and function of ion channels.
Why we should care about ion channels
“… ion channels are the most important single class of proteins that exist in the human body or any body…” – Clay Armstrong
Cryo-EM Structure of the Cardiac Sodium Channel Nav1.5 Revealed
The high-resolution structure of the
cardiac sodium channel gives detailed insights into voltage-dependent activation, ion selectivity, arrhythmia mechanisms, and antiarrhythmic drug action at the atomic level.
The classic paper by Neher and Sakmann is 1 out of 10 key Nature papers
The patch-clamp technique has been described by Nature journal as “a breakthrough method that became vital to neuroscience”.
