The 7th seminar of the Department Seminar Series - Spring 2022 will be presented in virtual format on Friday (March 11th ) at 3:30 PM via MS Teams by Dr. Zhaozhu Qiu, from Johns Hopkins University (Host: Dr. Dodani).

The link can be provided upon request (please contact Dr. Hedieh Torabifard at hedieh.torabifard@utdallas.edu).

Title: From SWELL to PAC: Discovery of New Chloride Channels

Abstract: Cl− channels play fundamental roles in physiology and their dysfunctions cause many human diseases. However, they are relatively under-studied compared to cation channels as elucidation of their molecular identity has lagged behind. My laboratory has been on the forefront of identifying the molecular identity of novel Cl− channels and elucidating their role in physiology and disease. Using innovative high-throughput assays and unbiased RNAi screens, we have recently discovered novel membrane proteins SWELL1 (LRRC8) forming the long sought-after Volume-Regulated Anion Channel (VRAC) and PAC (TMEM206) as the Proton-Activated Cl− (PAC) channel. Both channel activities have been observed in a wide range of tissues for nearly 30 years, but their identities were mysteries. Discovery of these novel ion channels creates unprecedented opportunities for studying their regulatory mechanism, physiological function, and disease involvement.

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