Research Projects

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is focusing on the design of new analgesic drugs to address chronic pain, which affects one-third of the world's population. The study aims to understand how thermoTRPs, specialized temperature-sensitive Transient Receptor Potential channels, mediate pain perception. The study aims to elucidate the mechanisms by which lipids and G protein βγ subunits regulate these channels, determine the cryo-electron microscopic structure of these channels at different temperatures, and design nanobodies and small molecule inhibitors/activators of thermoTRP channels. This research will help develop better analgesics against chronic pain and enhance our understanding of pain and temperature sensation. The study's potential benefits include developing small molecules inhibitors and nanobodies targeting thermoTRP function, which could be used for pain treatment.