//     FERENC TÖRÖK

Striessnig Research Group
Institute of Pharmacy, Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology
University of Innsbruck

//     INFORMATION

Nationality: Hungary
Education:
E-Mail: Ferenc.Torok@uibk.ac.at
Supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Jörg Striessnig

//     PROJECT

(Cav) are multidomain proteins selectively permeable to . In the human body ten different types of Cav with different biophysical properties and tissue distribution controls a variety of calcium-dependent physiological processes, including muscle contraction, hormone or neurotransmitter release, gene expression as well as learning and memory. Cav dysfunction also contributed to human diseases such as severe neurodevelopmental syndrome with and without congenital endocrine symptoms. Therefore, selective and potent channel inhibitors appear as an attractive pharmacological approach to treat these disorders. So far only non-selective inhibitors of these channel types are available. Aim of my thesis is to characterize the pharmacological properties of such channels using an interdisciplinary approach combining biophysical and pharmacological experiments with molecular modeling techniques to discover selective channel inhibitors in order to provide a better understanding to the channels’ physiological behavior and discover potential drugs for clinical application.