Voltage-gated calcium channels, the gatekeepers of excitation-driven calcium entry in all excitable cells, control a diverse array of functions. Alternative splicing expands functional capabilities and contributes greatly to the expansion of the proteome required to support complex brain functions. We study alternative splicing of voltage-gated calcium channels. Our work is relevant to basic mechanisms that control channel function in normal and in disease states, including chronic pain.
Work in the lab is funded by the following NIH grants from NINDS and NIMH:
NS055251 (Lipscombe), NS29967 (Lipscombe), MH087969 (Lipscombe)
Here are some helpful links about the lab and about Brown University.
December 2009 - Celebrating the latest round of NIH funding announcements
Celebrating four award notices from the NIH in the latest grant cycle. From left: Arturo Andrade, Spiro Marangoudakis (F31), Diane Lipscombe (R01, R21), Summer Allen, and Cecilia Phillips (F31).
December 1st 2008 - Diane Lipscombe Invited to give lecture at the National Institites of Health
Title: "Optimizing Calcium Ion Channel Function Exon by Exon and Neuron by Neuron"
Click on image above to view, or click below to download the video
Video (246MB Real Media file)
November 18th 2008 - Nature features some of our latest work done in collaboration with Robert Hurt and Lorin Jakubek of the Brown University Engineering Department
For the article from Nature.com click the image above (a subscription to Nature will be required to view the full article)