Molecular Recognition in Biological Systems and Bioinformatics

Signal transduction; calcium buffering; physiology of taste cells.

My lab studies the physiology of signal transduction pathways and the regulation of these pathways in neuronal systems. We focus on peripheral sensory systems, primarily the taste system. Chemical sensory systems, which are comprised of olfaction and taste, play important roles in feeding, territorial recognition and social interactions. The taste sensory system is used to determine whether potential food items will be ingested or rejected while the olfactory system is used in a multitude of behaviors such as kin recognition and mate selection. The taste system is extremely heterogeneous and is made up of multiple cell types that depend on multiple signaling pathways to detect stimuli. Some stimuli interact with receptors that initiate second messenger cascades, while others interact directly with ion channels to cause a cellular response. As characterization of these cellular mechanisms continues, we can begin understanding how the brain gathers information about its surroundings. The long term goal of the lab is to begin understanding how signaling mechanisms are regulated within taste cells and how this regulation impacts the generation of the stimulus signal to the brain. We use molecular and physiological techniques, including patch clamp analysis and calcium imaging to investigate how signaling mechanisms in taste cells function.

Mouse

Calcium buffering proteins

Nutrition, appetite

• RT-PCR
• Immunocytochemistry
• Calcium imaging
• Patch clamp

http://www.biology.buffalo.edu/dept/faculty/kmedler/kmedler.html