My research focuses on the regulation of calcium in the nervous system.
Neurons have a rich treasury of mechanisms to optimize calcium levels.
I study the ion channels on the plasma membrane that deliver calcium into the cell and, by combining electrophysiology and molecular biology, correlate calcium channel structure with function. Even small differences in the structure of the calcium channel can change its function, and the nervous system uses this to maximum advantage. Because they regulate so many critical functions, calcium channels are also important drug targets, so knowledge of diversity in the calcium channel structure may lead to the development of more selective agents in the future. Calcium captured my interest during my post-doctoral years at Yale University School of Medicine. I received both my bachelor's and doctorate from the University College of London, Department of Pharmacology.