Team "Ion Channel Engineering"
Thomas Grutter
Thomas Grutter
email: grutter[at]unistra.fr
Our team investigates how ligand-gated and mechanically activated ion channels respond to external stimuli and trigger intracellular signaling. We focus on ATP-activated P2X receptors, studied in our lab for nearly two decades, and PIEZO channels, a recently discovered family of mechanosensitive ion channels. These proteins are essential for normal cell function and represent emerging therapeutic targets in neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain. To study them, we develop chemical tools to probe, image, and control channel activity in cells, using an interdisciplinary approach combining biophysics, biology, and chemistry.
Research areas: Ion channels ; Biophysics ; Molecular targets in pain ; Chemical Biology.
Techniques: Patch-clamp electrophysiology ; Molecular biology ; Protein engineering ; Cell biology ; Chemical Optogenetics ; Cell imaging.
CBST Website of Team "Ion Channel Engineering"