KATP channels in normal and injured sensory transduction

描述（由申请人提供）：KO8奖候选人获得希腊雅典国立大学和卡波迪特里亚大学的医学博士学位，以及威斯康星州医学院的硕士学位。他接受过麻醉培训，并在后者获得疼痛管理奖学金，目前是麻醉学助理教授。参与了实验性神经性疼痛的病理生理学和药理学相关的基础神经学研究，并在膜片钳电生理方面有一定的发展。K08奖提供的机会和支持将大大扩大他在转化基础神经生理学研究中实现独立的未来前景。通过该奖项的发展计划的目标是：1)确保不受阻碍的时间，以扩大科学知识，提高研究技能，并完善关键分析能力；2)提供课程作业和互动设置，以扩大作为医生和科学家的独立性；3)研究正常情况下和神经损伤后原发性传入神经元中KATP通道的分子药理学和功能；4)发展规划方案和收集初步数据的技能，以供进一步、更高级的资助调查。该发展计划将通过提供电生理、分子和遗传技术方面的高级培训，在丰富而富有成效的学术环境中，以及通过渐进式课程，使候选人能够实现这些目标。他将在一个跨学科研究小组的指导下进行研究，这些研究小组在与他的项目相关的特定研究领域具有专门知识。在此背景下，候选人将进行结构化的研究计划，旨在扩大他的技术和科学能力，并揭示神经元KATP通道在DRG水平上调节神经元兴奋性和细胞存活中的作用。该奖项将支持候选人作为内科科学家自主过渡，并为疼痛性周围神经病变机制研究的独立资助提供初步数据。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The candidate for the KO8 Award earned an MD and PhD degree from the National and Capodistrian University in Athens, Greece, and an MS degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin. He trained in anesthesia with a fellowship in pain management at the latter institution, where he is currently an Assistant Professor in Anesthesiology. He has participated in basic neurological research relevant to pathophysiology and pharmacology of experimental neuropathic pain, and has developed skills in patch clamp electrophysiology. Opportunities and support provided by the K08 award will significantly amplify his future prospects in achieving independence in translational basic neurophysiologic research. Objectives of the development program through this award are to: 1) ensure unimpeded time to broaden scientific knowledge, enhance research skills, and refine critical analytical abilities; 2) provide course work and interactive settings that will expand independence as a physician-scientist; 3) investigate the molecular pharmacology and function of KATP channels in primary afferent neurons under normal conditions and after neurologic injury-that results in neuropathic pain; and 4) develop skills in planning protocols and collecting preliminary data for further, more advanced funded investigation. The development program will enable the candidate to achieve these goals by providing advanced training in electrophysiological, molecular, and genetic techniques and in a rich and productive academic environment, as well as through progressive course-work. He will be guided in his efforts by an interdisciplinary group of investigators with a documented expertise in the specific research fields relevant to his program. Within this context, the candidate will pursue a structured research program designed to expand his technical and scientific abilities and to reveal the role of neuronal KATP channels in modulating neuronal excitability and cell survival at the DRG level. This award would support the transition of the candidate to autonomy as a physician scientist, and provide preliminary data leading to independent funding of research on mechanisms of painful peripheral neuropathy.