Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute


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  • Diana Do, MD

    Diana Do, MD

    Professor of Ophthalmology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Do's research focuses on collaborative clinical trials to investigate novel treatments for retinal vascular diseases and ocular inflammation. She performs research to develop state of the art therapies for age-related macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, retinal vein occlusion, retinal inflammation, and retinal detachment.

  • Sebastian Doniach

    Sebastian Doniach

    Professor of Applied Physics and of Physics, Emeritus

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsStudy of changes in conformation of proteins and RNA using x-ray scattering

  • Les Dorfman, MD

    Les Dorfman, MD

    Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Emeritus

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsClinical electrophysiology of the peripheral and central nervous systems, including nerve conduction velocity; electromyography (EMG); and visual, auditory and somatosensory evoked potentials. Multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis and treatment. Neurological education.

  • Anthony G. Doufas, M.D., Ph.D.

    Anthony G. Doufas, M.D., Ph.D.

    Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research focuses on the relationship between sleep abnormalities and pain behavior and opioid pharmacology in the postoperative, as well as chronic pain setting. More specifically, I am interested in delineating the effect of the different components of sleep-diosordered breathing, like nocturnal recurrent hypoxemia and sleep fragmentation on pain behavior in the acute and/or chronic care setting.

  • Ron Dror

    Ron Dror

    Cheriton Family Professor and Professor, by courtesy, of Structural Biology and of Molecular & Cellular Physiology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy lab’s research focuses on computational biology, with an emphasis on 3D molecular structure. We combine two approaches: (1) Bottom-up: given the basic physics governing atomic interactions, use simulations to predict molecular behavior; (2) Top-down: given experimental data, use machine learning to predict molecular structures and properties. We collaborate closely with experimentalists and apply our methods to the discovery of safer, more effective drugs.

  • David Drover

    David Drover

    Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsField of clinical pharmacology. This involves analysis of what the body does to a drug (pharmacokinetics) and how exactly a specific drug affects the body (pharmacodynamics). His research starts at the level of new drug development with detailed analysis of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a medication.

  • Shaul Druckmann

    Shaul Druckmann

    Associate Professor of Neurobiology, of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and, by courtesy, of Electrical Engineering

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur research goal is to understand how dynamics in neuronal circuits relate and constrain the representation of information and computations upon it. We adopt three synergistic strategies: First, we analyze neural circuit population recordings to better understand the relation between neural dynamics and behavior, Second, we theoretically explore the types of dynamics that could be associated with particular network computations. Third, we analyze the structural properties of neural circuits.

  • Justin Du Bois

    Justin Du Bois

    Henry Dreyfus Professor of Chemistry and Professor, by courtesy, of Chemical and Systems Biology

    BioResearch and Scholarship

    Research in the Du Bois laboratory spans reaction methods development, natural product synthesis, and chemical biology, and draws on expertise in molecular design, molecular recognition, and physical organic chemistry. An outstanding goal of our program has been to develop C–H bond functionalization processes as general methods for organic chemistry, and to demonstrate how such tools can impact the logic of chemical synthesis. A second area of interest focuses on the role of ion channels in electrical conduction and the specific involvement of channel subtypes in the sensation of pain. This work is enabled in part through the advent of small molecule modulators of channel function.

    The Du Bois group has described new tactics for the selective conversion of saturated C–H to C–N and C–O bonds. These methods have general utility in synthesis, making possible the single-step incorporation of nitrogen and oxygen functional groups and thus simplifying the process of assembling complex molecules. To date, lab members have employed these versatile oxidation technologies to prepare natural products that include manzacidin A and C, agelastatin, tetrodotoxin, and saxitoxin. Detailed mechanistic studies of metal-catalyzed C–H functionalization reactions are performed in parallel with process development and chemical synthesis. These efforts ultimately give way to advances in catalyst design. A long-standing goal of this program is to identify robust catalyst systems that afford absolute control of reaction selectivity.

    In a second program area, the Du Bois group is exploring voltage-gated ion channel structure and function using the tools of chemistry in combination with those of molecular biology, electrophysiology, microscopy and mass spectrometry. Much of this work has focused on studies of eukaryotic Na and Cl ion channels. The Du Bois lab is interested in understanding the biochemical mechanisms that underlie channel subtype regulation and how such processes may be altered following nerve injury. Small molecule toxins serve as lead compounds for the design of isoform-selective channel modulators, affinity reagents, and fluorescence imaging probes. Access to toxins and modified forms thereof (including saxitoxin, gonyautoxin, batrachotoxin, and veratridine) through de novo synthesis drives studies to elucidate toxin-receptor interactions and to develop new pharmacologic tools to study ion channel function in primary cells and murine pain models.