The primary research interests of myself and my colleagues can be described by the general term “bioelectricity”. This ranges from laboratory based experiments looking at the molecular and cellular properties of ion channel proteins that carry electrical signals across cell membranes to research aimed at improving approaches to measure electrical activity in patients (such as ECGs) in order to facilitate detection of conditions such as atrial fibrillation.

In our laboratory based research, we study the properties of ion channels, primarily potassium (K) channels, in mammalian neurons and smooth muscle cells and their modulation by various pharmacological agents, physiological mediators and neurotransmitter substances. Such ion channels are important in a variety of clinical conditions, such as epilepsy, stroke, neuropathic pain, pulmonary hypertension and depression and represent major potential therapeutic targets for current and future research. We use a variety of state-of-the-art methodologies to study the properties of these ion channels, including whole-cell and single-channel patch clamp electrophysiology, two-electrode voltage clamp from oocytes, molecular biology (such as site-directed mutagenesis), fluorescent imaging of intracellular ions and fluorescently labelled proteins, tissue culture and computer modelling of ion channel structure and functional behaviour. Much of our work is done in collaboration with other laboratories and, currently, we have collaborative ventures with the pharmaceutical industry, academic laboratories elsewhere in the UK, and groups in the USA, Germany, Spain, Austria and Australia. Our work has contributed greatly to the detailed understanding of the properties and regulation of K channels, exemplified by our many publications in high quality journals such as J Physiol, PNAS, J Neurosci, Brit J Pharmacol, Mol Pharmacol, Eur Resp J and J Biol Chem.