Abstract

Gina Calco – Jacoby Lab

"Insulin and Airway Nerves: Connecting Obesity and Asthma" 

Obesity is an accelerating global public health crisis that can severely exacerbate asthma, but the underlying mechanisms leading to the development of obesity-related asthma are not known. Here, we examine the effects of hyperinsulinemia, a dysfunctional metabolic state often occurring in obese individuals, on airway physiology and airway sensory innervation. Results of this project will provide insights into obesity-related asthma treatment and prevention.

Rich Posert – Baconguis Lab

"Toward the ECD of the Epithelial Sodium Channel"

The Epithelial Sodium Channel (ENaC) is an extremely sodium-selective, heterotrimeric ion channel and the rate-limiting step in sodium reabsorption in the kidney, and thus plays an essential role in controlling blood volume and pressure. Interestingly, ENaC is gated by proteolysis of the extracellular domain. The molecular mechanism of neither gating nor the channel’s ion specificity, are well understood. We aim to solve the structure of the ENaC transmembrane domain via cryoEM to shed light on these long-standing questions in the field.