Dr. José Lasalde, from UPR-RP, VP Research and Technology will be offering a lecture titled “Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Disease: from Structure to Therapeutic Strategies”
Date: March 3rd, 2015
Time: 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Place: Sala A (Library)
Abstract:
The focus of the research in our NIH-funded laboratory (www.nachrs.org) is on ion channel structure, ion-channel lipid interactions and ion-channel related disorders. Our long range goals are focused on: (1) the structure function relationships of nicotinic receptors, (2), the role of lipid-protein interaction on acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) function, (3) the question of how genetically abnormal ion channels give rise to neurodegeneration in the Slow Channel Congenital Myasthenic Syndromes (SCCMS) and the use of novel channel blockers as potential therapeutic agents in SCCMS, (4) the upregulation of neuronal nicotinic receptor assembly in nicotine addiction and HIV-Associate Dementia (HAD) and (5) lipidomic approaches towards a high-resolution structure of the nicotinic receptor. This seminar will discuss five different projects that will illustrate a potential basis the involvement of nAChRs in collateral effects of statins in humans, a therapeutic strategy for SCCMS, the structural basis for nicotine tolerance and addiction, a novel nicotinic receptor signaling pathway in HIV/AIDS/ HAND and a lipidomic strategy to crystallize these receptors.