How do ion channels work, what happens when they break, and how can we fix them?

You are a watery sack of electricity. And that’s OK - we all are.

Ion channels are proteins, found in cell membranes, which open and close to allow the movement of charged atoms (ions) into and out of cells. This movement of ions underlies the electrical currents critical for a vast range of biological processes. Your heartbeat, muscles, brain, and the regular function of all your other cells, rely on the precise activities of these ion channels.

When ion channels function abnormally, human disease can arise. We are interested in understanding how ion channels normally work in healthy physiology, how channels behave abnormally in disease, and how dysfunctional ion channels can be targeted therapeutically.