Understanding how brain potassium channels are built inside the body
Official title: Determining the Stoichiometry of Endogenous Voltage-gated Potassium Channels in the Brain
Funded at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute · NIH-11347872 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying how native potassium channels in brain cells are made up of multiple parts, to understand how they control brain signaling.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | September 4, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $670,380 |
| NIH project number | 1R01NS148919-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11347872 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable here; the study is conducted in animal models to understand brain channel composition.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient involvement in this grant.
What this research studies
This project aims to map the exact composition of endogenous Kv channels in living neurons and see how their makeup changes with normal activity or disease. The researchers will use a novel approach developed in the lab to determine which subunits are present and how they arrange themselves in vivo. By linking channel composition to brain signaling and pathology, the work could reveal targets for drugs that only affect misassembled channels. The study focuses on basic neuroscience, with potential implications for disorders where brain communication goes awry.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of brain ion channels could lead to more targeted treatments for neurological disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that ion channel assemblies are diverse and influence signaling, supporting a plausible path forward in this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Feng, Shengjie — Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
- Study coordinator: Feng, Shengjie
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.