Unlock the therapeutic potential of ion channels

The discovery of drugs that target ion channels presents a substantial opportunity for treating a wide range of medical conditions, including chronic pain, stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Despite this, our ability to fully tap into this potential has been limited by a lack of robust platforms for high-throughput drug discovery. These platforms also need to effectively counter-screen 'hits' against known channels that could cause unwanted side effects.

In our research group, we have taken on this challenge and developed general models for identifying, producing, capturing, and stabilising key components of different ion channel families. These are suitable for high-throughput screening, setting the stage for faster and more precise drug discovery including nanobodies, macrocyclic and disulfide-rich peptides and traditional drug fragments. Our current work focuses on the stabilisation of new ion channel components for comprehensive screening, as well as the validation of new drug leads identified through this process.

If you're a BSc or MSc graduate with a background in biochemistry or biophysics and are excited about the prospect of working at the forefront of ion channel research, we invite you to join us. Our interdisciplinary group is dedicated to advancing scientific understanding in this critical area. Each new discovery we make takes us one step closer to developing transformative treatments for some of today's most significant medical challenges.

  Are you interested in a PhD at the AIBN? Click here, and start your journey today.