Dr. Miao Zhang
Email: zhang@chapman.edu
Website: https://www.chapman.edu/our-faculty/miao-zhang
College: School of Pharmacy
Overview of scholarly research/creative activity: Dr. Zhang’s group utilizes structural biology techniques to study ion channels. Specific areas currently under investigation are (1) structure-aided drug discovery targeting SK2 channels for movement disorders including ataxia and essential tremor; (2) structure-aided drug discovery targeting SK3 channels for vascular diseases.
Specific projects working on: 1. What is the major problem being addressed by this study?
The inner layer of blood vessels is called the endothelium. The endothelium is important because it separate other tissues from the blood inside the vessels. As you may image that if there is a leak in the endothelium the tissues such as vascular smooth muscle will be exposed to the blood. This will be very dangerous. The exposure to blood may stimulate the vascular smooth muscle. On the other hand, the immune cells inside the blood may also get activated. The immune cells will attack the smooth muscle causing inflammation, coagulation. Eventually, all these may lead to blood clot. If the clot happens to be in a place critical to life, it may cause death. All these started from the leak in the endothelium. Our research is about finding a way to protect the endothelium and prevent the leak.
2. What specific questions are you asking and how will you attempt to answer them?
The SK channels are a unique group of ion channels. They have been shown to be able to protect the neurons from death. The SK channels are also expressed in the endothelium. We have found that SK channel activation can protect the endothelial cells from dying. There are four subtypes of SK channels. We will use drugs that activate them selectively to study their role in the protection of endothelial cells.
Number of students looking to work with: 1-2
Time commitment for students: Meet once a week. At least 3 hour a week.
Requirements for students who work with you: Skilled with Microsoft Excel
When students are needed: Fall 2021, Interterm, Spring, and Summer 2022
What would students be expected to do: Lab experiments or computer data analysis