Evgenii Chulkov, PhD

Ion channels regulation, membrane active drugs, anthelminthic drug development

Ion channels are important drug targets because of their crucial role in controlling a variety of physiological processes. Clarification of the basic molecular mechanisms underlying physiological process associated with ion channel activity in cells will aid drug development.

The Marchant Lab recently identified a target of the anthelmintic drug praziquantel used for treatment of schistosomiasis, a major parasitic disease caused by Schistosoma sp., The target protein is an ion channel of the TRP family expressed in Schistosoma sp. Currently, I am working on the molecular mechanism of channel–drug interaction via electrophysiology and imaging. In the future, I intent to create a comprehensive model of the channel to aid antiparasitic drug development.