This group aims to identify the molecular and cellular processes governing nicotinic cetylcholine receptor function in the brain and at the periphery.
Research is also focused on the effect of nicotine as a drug of addiction on these processes.
The multidisciplinary approach includes immunoprecipitation and imaging techniques to monitor receptor maturation and targeting.
Protein overproduction for X-ray crystallography, as well as mutagenesis coupled to functional, electrophysiological, and molecular modeling is used to assess the receptor structure and the nature of its allosteric transitions following agonist exposure.
The work also aims at developing specific ligands, that will be valuable for the treatment of pathologies, including tobacco addiction and Alzheimer disease.