G protein-coupled receptor actions and drug discovery in cardiovascular biology and disease.Research in my laboratory focuses on understanding the actions of G protein-coupled receptors including adrenergic receptors and neuropeptide receptors. Current projects focus on alpha1- and alpha2-adrenergic receptor subtypes and the calcitonin gene related peptide receptor family. We are interested in identifying and characterizing receptor subtypes and determining the efficacy of their signaling pathways to aid in the design and testing of receptor subtype selective agonist and antagonist drugs. Signal transduction mechanisms, including G protein interactions and cell signaling pathways, and functions of adrenergic receptors and calcitonin gene related peptide receptors are of interest.
The role of the sympathetic nervous system and the immune system in the regulation of receptor functions is also under study. We are primarily interested in the role of these receptors in normal and abnormal functioning of the heart, endothelium, blood vessels, smooth muscles and other peripheral systems.