Melinda Diver

Most drugs target membrane proteins, accessible on the surface of cells, to alter the transport of ions and molecules and the transduction of cellular signals. The Diver lab explores the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of understudied transmembrane protein families with the goal of revealing critical knowledge about their roles in human physiology and disease. How do these poorly understood ion channel and transporter families permit ion flux? What are the dynamics of the transport processes? Does their dysregulation play a role in disease that can be exploited? Are there known modulatory drugs? If so, how do the work? If not, can we develop these powerful pharmacological tools for utility in our basic research and drug discovery efforts? Importantly, these understudied proteins represent valuable potential drug targets for diseases, such as chronic pain and cancer, for which there is an urgent need to develop more effective therapeutic strategies. 

Current Projects:

• Identify New Drug Targets for Pain and Cancer 

• Structural Mechanisms

• Intrinsic Function

• Mimicking Native Membrane Environments