Research Grant
[Cite as https://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/316907]Researchers: Prof Shin-Ho Chung (Principal investigator) , The Australian National University (Managed by)
Brief description All electrical activities in the brain are regulated by opening and closing of ion channels. Thus, understanding their mechanisms at a molecular level is a fundamental problem in biology. There are many different types of ion channels, each type fulfilling a different role. We now know the exact atomic structures of several types of the proteins forming ion channels. Using this newly unveiled information, we propose to build exact physical models of many different types of ion channels. Then, making use of powerful supercomputers, we propose to follow the motion of ions as they move through the channel, study how a channel can select only the correct type of ions to traverse it and determine how many ions a single channel is capable of processing per second. The predictions made by our theory and computer simulations will be checked experimentally. Once we fully understand how these channels work, we will be able to understand the causes of, and possibly find the cures for, many neurological, muscular and renal disorders.
Funding Amount $AUD 381,000.00
Funding Scheme NHMRC Project Grants
Notes Standard Project Grant
- nhmrc : 316907
- PURL : https://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/316907
