Potassium Channels in Immune Cells: Structure to Therapeutics

Abstract:

Professor Chandy will describe his journey from laboratory bench to patient’s bedside. His talk will focus on a unique contingent of ion channels that play a critical function in immune cells. He will describe the discovery of these channels, their molecular identification and structure determination, and their validation as therapeutic targets for diverse clinical indications. Specific inhibitors of these channels are in clinical trials for multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, sickle cell anemia, Alzheimer’s disease, hereditary xerocytosis, and other clinical indications are being explored.

Speaker's Profile:

George K Chandy is Professor Emeritus, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, and Visiting Professor, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. His work on ion channels spanned the gamut of physiology, pharmacology, cell biology, molecular biology, immunology, and structural biology. He has been repeatedly ranked among the most highly cited scientists in the world.