Coarse grained models of gating and conduction through ion channels

Our aim is to study the response of large populations of ion channels to electrical, chemical or mechanical stimuli. The macroscopic features of such systems are determined by the microscopic gating mechanisms which module the single channel conductivity under different external conditions. A multi-scale approach is adopted to bridge the gap between atomistic single channel simulations and phenomenological lumped element models. This is done using coarse grained models which reduce the degrees of freedom of the studied systems while retaining their physical significance. The collective behavior of ion channels is of crucial importance for the study of bio-electrical phenomena such as the transmission of neural signals and for the design of novel nanofluidic devices.

Advisor: Alberto Giacomello

Researchers: Gonçalo Paulo, Giovanni di Muccio