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Mike Caterina –
Dr. Caterina conducted his graduate research on mechanisms underlying G protein coupled chemoattractant receptor signaling. As a postdoctoral fellow, he cloned Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) an ion channel and “molecular thermometer” that can be gated either by capsaicin (the main pungent ingredient in spicy peppers) or by painful heat (>42°C). | 
| Current topics of interest in his lab at Johns Hopkins include: the respective contributions of different TRP channels to pain sensation, thermosensation, and thermoregulation; the roles of temperature-gated TRP channels in nonneuronal cells such as skin keratinocytes; and a novel form of activity-dependent plasticity in TRP channel signaling.
Email Dr. Caterina | | |
Xinzhong Dong –
Dr. Dong, trained in molecular neuroscience, has identified many genes specifically expressed in pain-sensing neurons in dorsal root ganglia. He is interested in studying the function of these genes in pain sensation by multiple approaches including molecular biology, mouse genetics, mouse behavior, and electrophysiology. | 
| The laboratory will use these genes as molecular tools to understand the cellular properties of different subtypes of pain-sensing neurons with respect to neuronal circuitry in central projection and pain modalities.The laboratoryalso is investigating the molecular mechanism of how skin mast cells sensitize sensory nerves under inflammatory states.
Email Dr. Dong | | |
Paul Fuchs –
Dr. Fuchs trained in synaptic physiology and studies both afferent and efferent connections of cochlear hair cells. This work has helped identify and characterize ion channels that underlie signaling, as well as transmembrane and intracellular calcium flux in hair cells. Aberrant calcium signaling can be pathogenic, and could contribute to hair cell damage and loss in later life (presbycusis). | 
| In addition, synaptic interactions at the onset of hearing play critical, but as yet undefined, roles in the ultimate functional maturation of cochlear hair cells. Knowledge gained from these studies will inform novel pharmacotherapeutic strategies to prevent or treat hearing loss. Fuchs is a co-director of the Center for Sensory Biology.
Email Dr. Fuchs | | |
Elisabeth Glowatzki –
Dr. Glowatzki received her doctoral degree from the University of Kaiserslautern for her work on the biophysics of ligand-gated ion channels. After postdoctoral training in Germany and England, she moved to Johns Hopkins where she began her studies of synaptic signaling by mechanosensory hair cells of the mammalian cochlea.This work is aimed at understanding fundamental details | 
| of synaptic function in hair cells. It is providing essential insights into how neurotransmitters are released and act at this first stage in the transmission of sound to the brain.
Email Dr. Glowatzki | | |
Craig Montell –
Dr. Montell is a molecular neurobiologist who focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying sensory signaling. As part of this work, he identified the founding member of the TRP superfamily of cation channels, Drosophila TRP, as well as the first mammalian TRP channel, | 
| TRPC1. His laboratory currently is focusing on the Drosophila visual and taste transduction pathways. In addition, his laboratory is using Drosophila as a model organism to characterize the normal roles of TRP channels that are disrupted in human diseases.
Email Dr. Montell | | |
Jeremy Nathans –
Dr. Nathans began working on human vision during his graduate studies. After postdoctoral training at Genentech, Dr. Nathans joined the faculty at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He holds appointments in the Departments of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Neuroscience, and Ophthalmology. The principal research interests of the Nathans lab center on two areas: | 
| the structure and function of the vertebrate visual system; and the origins of pattern formation in development.
Email Dr. Nathans | | |
Randall Reed –
Dr. Reed and his colleagues are identifying the pathways responsible for converting smells into signals perceived by the brain and the role of these genes in wiring this extraordinary sensory system. The laboratory also studies the remarkable ability of the nerve cells in the nose to be continually replaced throughout adult life and respond to environmental or traumatic injury | 
| by complete neuronal regeneration from identified stem cells. Integrating genetics, physiology, biochemistry, and imaging in the Reed laboratory provides the framework for understanding how sensory systems achieve their incredible sensitivity and specificity in normal individuals and how diseases, aging and environmental assault interfere with these processes. Reed is a co-director of the Center for Sensory Biology.
Email Dr. Reed | | |
King-wai Yau –
Dr. Yau and his laboratory study visual and olfactory sensory transduction, which have interesting similarities but also striking differences. Visual transduction in retinal photoreceptors (the rods and cones) is known to involve a cGMP signaling pathway. Recording from single, dissociated photoreceptors isolated from genetically modified mice and frogs is one assay they use to address specific questions about the details of phototransduction. Unlike vision, which involves only a few visual pigments in rods and cones, olfaction apparently involves of the order of a thousand distinct odorant receptor proteins. A key, still largely unknown question about olfactory transduction is how a given odorant receptor protein recognizes a specific set of chemicals (odorants). They are addressing this question by stimulating cloned odorant receptor proteins various odorants, using calcium imaging as an assay.
Email Dr. Yau |
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