Understanding how serotonin and glycine nerve‑cell channels work
Structure and Function of Pentameric Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Researchers will map how specific nerve‑cell channels that control gut function, movement, and pain send and receive signals to help people with neurological disorders, addiction, and chronic pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Case Western Reserve University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11267214 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project will look inside tiny channel proteins on nerve cells—like the serotonin (5HT3) and glycine receptors—that help control gut function, movement, and pain. The team uses high‑resolution imaging (cryo‑EM), protein chemistry and mass spectrometry, computer simulations, and electrical recordings to see how these channels are built, how they open and close, and how drugs or chemical modifications change them. They will examine mixed channel assemblies and the proteins that bind to them at nerve junctions to understand regulation in a native context. The goal is to reveal details that can guide more targeted therapies in the future.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with chronic pain, certain movement or neurological disorders, gut‑motility problems, or conditions related to addiction could be candidates for future clinical work stemming from this research.
Not a fit: This is laboratory‑focused discovery work, so patients seeking immediate treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from the project itself.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to more precise treatments for chronic pain, movement disorders, gut problems, and addiction with fewer side effects.
How similar studies have performed: Previous structural and functional studies of related receptors have produced important insights and drug leads, but applying these methods to complex mixed channel assemblies and their regulatory partners is a newer advance.
Where this research is happening
Cleveland, United States
- Case Western Reserve University — Cleveland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chakrapani, Sudha — Case Western Reserve University
- Study coordinator: Chakrapani, Sudha
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 below.