Description:

The Department of Pharmacology welcomes Reza Vafabakhsh, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Biosciences at Northwestern University Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences.

Abstract:

The group C of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) form permanent dimers and are activated by glutamate and other amino acids, GABA, Ca2+and Mg2+. Due to this central involvement in modulating the neuronal excitability, these receptors are powerful regulators of neuronal circuits and have emerged as critical drug targets for neurological disorders. A major focus of my lab is to develop a characterization of the structural dynamics, modulation, heterogeneity and distribution of group C GPCR complexes, from a single protein level to the neuron level, to try to understand their molecular roles in the physiological contexts and towards rational design of finely tuned therapeutics. In this talk, I will discuss our efforts using single molecules fluorescence approaches and cell biology techniques towards visualizing and quantifying the multiple conformational states of the mGluRs and CasR homodimers and heterodimers, as well as their activation dynamics.