Professor Roger Hardie

Interests

Phototransduction, TRP channels and Calcium signalling in Drosophila

Phototransduction in the fruitfly Drosophila is an important model for G-protein coupled signalling and fascinating in its own right. We study the underlying cellular and molecular machinery using a combination of molecular genetic, physiological and computational approaches. A major interest concerns the mechanisms of activation and regulation of the light-sensitive channels. These are encoded by the trp gene, which is the defining member of the intensively studied TRP ion channel family, with ~30 mammalian isoforms widely implicated in sensory transduction and Ca2+ signalling throughout the body.

Other areas of interest include

(i) molecular mechanisms of retinal degeneration

(ii) a novel class of ligand gated chloride channel directly gated by the photoreceptor neurotransmitter histamine

(iii) voltage gated potassium channels

(iv) Sodium calcium exchange

Living, dissociated Drosophila ommatidia. The light absorbing rhabdomere has been labelled by a genetically targeted GFP-tagged ion channel protein (Kir2.1). As well as visualizing the rhabdomere, this ion channel is specifically activated by PIP2 and can be used as an electrophysiological biosensor to monitor PIP2 levels in real time in vivo
Click image to view full-size

Research Focus

Equipment

Calcium imaging

Cell culture

Drosophila genetics

Electrophysiological recording techniques

Fluorescence microscopy

Microscopy

Whole cell patch clamp