PhD Project

My Research

My research project, titled Unravelling the molecular basis of proteolytic activation of neuronal calcium channels: a promising target for pain therapy, aims to understand how α2δ subunits interact with calcium channels in the brain to change how they function. 

Both calcium channels and α2δ proteins are dysregulated in pain states and epilepsy, increasing the excitatory signals in the brain. As such, α2δ-targetting drugs such as pregabalin and gabapentin are main-stays in the doctors' arsenal for the treatment of these conditions. 

These drugs work for some patients, but others experience significant side effects and don't see improvement in their symptoms. Drawing on the expertise of my supervisory team at QMUL and UCL, my research intends to understand the underlying molecular interactions of α2δ proteins at the synapse to find new ways to disrupt their signalling in dysregulated states. I hope that this research will lay the foundation for the development of new treatments which are safer, more effective, and more tolerable for patients.

Supervisory Team

Primary supervisor: Dr Ivan Kadurin (QMUL)

Secondary supervisor: Dr Matthew Gold (UCL)

Funding

This work is supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council [grant number BB/T008709/1].

Find out more

To find out more about the research we do in the Kadurin lab, head to our website below.