The Riegelhaupt Laboratory is focused on understanding the physiology and pharmacology of tandem pore (K2P) potassium ion channels. K2P channels establish the resting membrane potential of cells throughout the body and modulation of K2P activity shapes cellular excitability. This family of channels plays an important role in a range of human diseases, including cardiac arrhythmia, depression, migraine, and pulmonary hypertension. The laboratory utilizes a combination of electrophysiology, cryo-electron microscopy, and mass spectrometry to define the mechanisms by which anesthetics, lipids, and other pharmacology target K2P channels to modulate their behavior. There are currently no K2P specific drugs in use in clinical practice and we aim to leverage insights into the gating and regulation of these channels to ultimately develop specific and sensitive K2P targeted pharmacology for use in the treatment of human disease.
Members
Paul Riegelhaupt, MD, PhD — Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology
Leila Khajoueinejad, PhD
Postdoctoral Associate
Elena Riel, PhD
Posdoctoral Associate
Gagandeep Singh
Visiting Medical Student
Latrice Goss
Grants & Lab Operations Manager
phone: 646-962-6547
fax: 212-746-4879