Research Focus
Research in the Cornea Lab is focused on membrane molecular biophysics, particularly on the role of conformational changes and protein-protein interactions in the regulation of intracellular calcium by the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) pumps and ryanodine receptor (RyR) calcium channels.
Basic ResearchOur goal is to understand the structure, function, and dynamics of protein complexes involved in the regulation of intracellular calcium homeostasis, particularly (but not exclusively) in striated muscle. Our focus is primarily on the SERCA pump (and its regulator in the heart, phospholamban) and the ryanodine receptor (RyR, and its regulatory partners, FKBP, calmodulin, and S100A1).
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Translational ResearchWe translate our understanding of the structure-function correlations within the SERCA and RyR complexes into a program for therapeutic discovery to address a variety of diseases characterized by dysregulated intracellular calcium (sarcopenia, muscular dystrophy, heart failure, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's).
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ApproachTo carry out our studies, we site-specifically label membrane protein complexes with fluorescent dyes, then monitor their interactions and structural changes using fluorescence spectroscopy, most often FRET, in isolated membranes or directly in-cell.
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