The focus of my research is on vascular ion channels, proteins that form microscopic gated pores and thus allow ions to move into and out of cells. In so doing, ion channels give rise to electrical impulses that trigger and control a vast array of fundamental biological processes. Specifically, the cells forming the wall of arteries possess channels that generate signals determining the artery diameter; this ultimately contributes to the control of blood pressure. We aim to understand the way these channels open and close and how alterations in these important proteins may lead to human disease. We also work to identify new ion channel-interacting drugs, which could modulate blood vessel function for therapeutic benefit. To achieve these aims the lab takes a multidisciplinary approach involving studies at the level of molecules, cells, tissues and the whole organism, using a combination of experimental and theoretical methodologies.