Roger G. O'Neil, Ph.D. 1976, University of Illinois The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology Contact Information

Research Interests:

• Renal/vascular biology of epithelial/endothelial cells
• Signal transduction
• Calcium signaling
• Calcium channels
• Mechanical stress
• Cell shape
• Hormones/cytokines

Calcium signals are essential for the activation and regulation of numerous cellular functions and processes. The overall goal of research in my laboratory is to elucidate the structure, function, and mechanism(s) of regulation of calcium channels (particularly TRP calcium-permeable channels) and other calcium transport processes that underlie stress-induced calcium signaling in polarized cells. Particular emphasis is on the mechanism by which intracellular ligands (diacylglycerol, IP3, cAMP, etc.) and mechanical stresses (osmotic pressure, shear stress, shape changes, etc.) regulate calcium channels and, hence, calcium signaling, in vascular endothelial and renal epithelial cells. Students joining this laboratory will learn a variety of techniques/procedures including: cell culture methods, quantitative video, fluorescence and confocal microscopy techniques, single-channel patch clamp techniques, and various biochemical and molecular biological procedures.

Publications

Program Affiliation:

Program in Cell and Regulatory Biology (Physiology Track)