Research Topics
Neuroscience Research Group 
Neuroscientists in the Department of Physiology bring a strong interdisciplinary scientific approach to the study of the nervous system. Our students, post-docs and faculty are using molecular, cell biological, anatomical, electrophysiological, behavioral, and optical techniques to understand how the brain develops, how neurons communicate with each other, how brain cells maintain ionic homeostasis, and how these vital processes are disturbed in diseases such as epilepsy, Down’s syndrome, Alzheimer’s, and neuromuscular disease.
Neuroscience Faculty and Interest
- Bradley E. Alger, Synaptic transmission
- Linda L. Bambrick, Neurotrophin signaling
- Mordecai Blaustein, Sodium and calcium homeostasis
- Robert J. Bloch, Synaptic structure
- Lawrence Goldman, Membrane excitability
- Vera Golovina, Sodium and calcium homeostasis
- Joseph P. Y. Kao, Calcium signaling
- Bruce K. Krueger, Neurotrophin signaling
- W. Jon Lederer, Calcium signaling
- Margaret M. McCarthy, Neuroendocrinology
- Neil Porter, Synaptic structure
- Marc Simard, Electrophysiology of glia
- Cha-Min Tang, Synaptic transmission
- Scott M. Thompson, Synaptic transmission
- Paul A. Welling, Ion channels
- W. Gil Wier, Calcium signaling
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Membrane Biology Research Group 
Faculty in the Department of Physiology are internationally recognized for their research into the cellular and molecular aspects of membrane physiology. Understanding the function of ion channels, transporters and pumps, as well as structural proteins and cell adhesion molecules, lends insight into a variety of physiological processes. Researchers are attempting to understand how membranes maintain chemical gradients, regulate excitability and mediate signal transduction. See http://membranebiology.umaryland.edu for more information.
Membrane Biology Faculty and Interest
- Bradley E. Alger, Synaptic transmission
- Linda L. Bambrick, Neurotrophin signaling
- Mordecai Blaustein, Sodium and calcium homeostasis
- Robert J. Bloch, Synaptic structure
- Lawrence Goldman, Membrane excitability
- Vera Golovina, Sodium and calcium homeostasis
- John Hamlyn, Sodium and calcium homeostasis
- Joseph P. Y. Kao, Calcium signaling
- Bruce K. Krueger, Neurotrophin signaling
- W. Jon Lederer, Calcium signaling
- Margaret M. McCarthy, Neuroendocrinology
- Neil Porter, Synaptic structure
- Cha-Min Tang, Synaptic transmission
- Scott M. Thompson, Synaptic transmission
- James B. Wade, Membrane Traffic Of Epithelial Transporters and channels
- Paul A. Welling, Molecular Physiology and Cellular biology of Ion channels
- W. Gil Wier, Calcium signaling
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Reproductive Biology Research Group 
The control of reproduction involves diverse organs including the brain, pituitary, gonads and reproductive tract. Researchers in the Department of Physiology are focused primarily on the control of female reproduction with emphasis on the development of the neuroendocrine axis, ovarian and uterine physiology and the regulation and function of steroid receptors. This basic research group interacts strongly with population based and clinical researchers in an Organized Research Center in Women’s Health. Visit http://csr.umaryland.edu for more information.
Reproductive Biology Faculty and Interest
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Endocrinology Research Group
Members of the Department of Physiology conduct cutting edge research into the basic cellular mechanisms of hormone action. These studies illuminate our understanding of diverse processes such as growth and development, as well as specific diseases such as prostate cancer and diabetes.
Endocrinology Faculty and Interest
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Functional Genomics and Molecular Medicine Research Group
The Department of Physiology is responding to the opportunities and challenges of the post-genome sequencing era. We are translating sequence information into an understanding of gene function in health and disease, cracking the code of life. Research programs highlight all areas of the field, including molecular genetics, transgenic and gene knockout technology, physiological genomics, mutagenesis and heterologous expression, analysis of protein-protein interactions, and DNA microarray technology. By combining modern genetic tools with state-of-the-art techniques in physiology, cell biology and neuroscience, our graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and faculty are discovering how genes work in health and fail in disease. See http://genefun.umaryland.edu for more information on our training program.
Functional Genomics and Molecular Medicine Faculty and Interest
- William Balke, Molecular Physiology of Heart Failure
- Robert Bloch, The structure and function of the membrane systems in muscle, and the effects of muscular dystrophy and other myopathies
- Mordecai Blaustein, Molecular Mechanisms of calcium signaling
- Robert Koos, Molecular Mechanisms of Angiogenesis
- W. Jonathon Lederer, Molecular models of cardiac dysfunction
- D. Maouyo, DNA Microarray Technology, mechanisms of gene expression
- Alan Shuldiner, Molecular genetics of type 2 (adult) onset diabetes and obesity
- B. Vogel, Extracellular matrix proteins and cell surface receptors in epithelial morphogenesis and cell architecture, C. Elegans
- James Wade, Membrane Traffic Of Epithelial Transporters and channels
- Paul Welling, Molecular Mechanisms of Salt Balance and Blood Pressure control in health and disease
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Cardiovascular and Renal Physiology Research Group
Faculty in the Department of Physiology are internationally recognized for their research into the cellular and molecular aspects of cardiovascular and kidney function. We employ an interdisciplinary approach, using molecular, cell biological, electrophysiological, transgenic, functional genomic and optical techniques to understand how the cardiovascular-renal system works. Many of our graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and faculty are focused on elucidating the mechanisms of human disease, including hypertension, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias and inherited disorders of salt and water balance.
Learn more about our Training Program in Cardiac and Vascular Cell Biology
Learn more about our Research Program in Hypertension through a NHLBI-funded Program Project Grant
Cardiovascular and Renal Faculty and Interest
- Robert Bloch, The structure and function of the membrane systems in muscle, and the effects of muscular dystrophy and other myopathies
- Mordecai Blaustein, Mechanisms of calcium signaling
- Meredith Bond, The role of A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs) in protein kinase A (PKA) targeting; genomic and proteomic analysis of human heart failure.
- Vera Golovina, Understanding the mechanisms of regulation of Ca2+ signaling in glial and vascular smooth muscle cells and its role in physiological and pathophysiological processes
- John Hamyln, Endogenous ouabain and mechanisms of hypertension
- Hugo Gonzalez-Serratos, Excitation-muscle contraction coupling
- Joseph P. Y. Kao, Molecular Mechanisms of Calcium signaling
- W. Jonathon Lederer, Molecular models of cardiac dysfunction
- Tom Pallone, Physiology of the renal circulation, vascular biology
- Shawn Robinson, Pathophyisology of hypertensive heart disease, heart failure
- Alan Shuldiner, Molecular genetics of type 2 (adult) onset diabetes, obesity, and hypertension
- Marc Simard, Cerebral circulation, stroke
- Matthew Trudeau, The molecular specializations underlying ion channel function in potassium channels activated by voltage and cation channels activated by intracellular cyclic nucleotides
- James Wade, Membrane Traffic Of Epithelial Transporters
- W. Gill Wier, Calcium signaling in heart and vascular smooth muscle
- E. J. Weinman, Molecular Mechanisms of Salt balance, PDZ based protein-protein interactions
- Paul Welling, Molecular Mechanisms of Ion Channels in Salt Balance and Blood Pressure Control
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