Gerald Zamponi

BIOGRAPHY

ACADEMIC POSITIONS:
• Head, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology
• Professor, Novartis Chair for Schizophrenia Research
• Departments of Physiology & Biophysics/Cell Biology & Anatomy, University of Calgary

EDUCATION:
• Dipl Ing (Johannes Kepler University)
• PhD (University of Calgary)

RESEARCH INTERESTS:
My laboratory studies various aspects of neuronal voltage-dependent calcium channels. We are using a combination of electrophysiological (patch clamp), molecular biological (site-directed mutagenesis, chimeras, cloning of novel calcium channel genes, transfection of channels into cell lines and neurons) techniques, protein biochemistry and imaging on live cells to address our research objectives. We also have succeeded in dual patch clamp recordings from transfected mouse hippocampal neurons in culture, and have expertise in making and dealing with KO mice. Currently, my laboratory is involved in the following major projects:

1) Regulation of presynaptic calcium channels by G proteins
2) Structure, function and physiological roles of T-type calcium channels
3) Mechanisms that regulate their membrane targeting and auxiliary subunit assembly in neurons
4) The regulation of NMDA receptors by cellular prion protein

Through a collaboration with NeuroMed Technologies Inc we participate in the development of novel calcium channel antagonists.

Gerald Zamponi has been Editor-in-Chief of the Channels (Austin) journal and Associate Editor of The Journal of Neuroscience since 2006.

HOME PAGE
http://www.cell.ucalgary.ca/G.Zamponi.html