Professor Dr. Jorge Contreras

Biography

Jorge E. Contreras is a Professor in the Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology at the University of California, Davis. His research focuses on intercellular communication, specifically the roles of connexin and pannexin channels in cellular metabolism and signal transduction. With the identification of 21 connexin and pannexin genes in the human genome, his work aims to understand the biophysical characteristics of these channels and the mechanisms that regulate their functions, which have crucial implications for human health. Mutations in human connexin genes are linked to several pathologies, including deafness, blindness, skin diseases, and neurological disorders. Additionally, he investigates the effects of non-inherited diseases such as cardiac ischemia, brain trauma, and epilepsy on the expression and function of pannexin and connexin proteins, which can lead to inflammation, tissue dysfunction, and cell death. His long-term research goal is to define the molecular and cellular determinants that regulate channel function under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. To achieve this objective, his laboratory employs a combination of molecular biology, biochemistry, electrophysiology, imaging, and behavioral studies in transgenic mouse models.

Research Interests

Experience