New findings show how CaM and PIP2 orchestrate large-scale molecular movement of the KCNQ1 cytoplasmic domain to facilitate channel opening
Mechanism behind heartbeat regulation, heart function uncovered (Links to an external site)

New findings show how CaM and PIP2 orchestrate large-scale molecular movement of the KCNQ1 cytoplasmic domain to facilitate channel opening
After new technology recently revealed the structure of the protein, the lab of CBAC member Jianmin Cui, professor of biomedical engineering in the School of Engineering & Applied Science, will collaborate with two others to take an unprecedented look into its molecular mechanisms potentially leading to the development of new drugs for these and other conditions.
Physicians and patients have long awaited the next step beyond catheter ablation for ventricular tachycardia (VT). Could noninvasive stereotactic body radiation be that breakthrough?
CBAC member Jianmin Cui, professor of biomedical engineering, and collaborators in three labs at WashU are studying the BK channel, which has been found to be important in regulating neuronal function and blood pressure.
Findings could lead to better treatment for cardiac arrhythmia and long QT syndrome.CBAC member Jianmin Cui, PhD, has received a nearly $1.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study the molecular bases for the function of potassium channels vital for the heart, brain, inner ear and other tissues.
CBAC members Jianmin Cui, PhD, professor of biomedical engineering, and Mark Zaydman, fifth-year MD/PhD student, and a team of biomedical engineers has discovered that for one important channel in the heart, called KCNQ1, the membrane voltage not only causes the channel to open, but also determines the properties of the electrical signals, acting as both conductor and composer rather than only conductor as previously believed.