Dr. Stephen Cannon

Biography

Stephen C. Cannon is a Professor in the Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he also serves as the Interim Chair. Cannon completed his medical internship and neurology residency at Massachusetts Hospital, where he was chief resident, and later finished a postdoctoral fellowship in David Corey’s lab, uncovering significant insights into sodium channel defects and their role in periodic paralysis. After initiating his lab at Harvard Medical School in 2002, he transitioned to UT Southwestern Medical Center, contributing as Chair of Neurology and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Medical Education, wherein he developed a combined BA/MD training program. His research focuses on ion channelopathies related to skeletal muscle, investigating the mechanistic basis of inherited disorders resulting from mutations in voltage-gated ion channels. His studies have advanced understanding of conditions such as myotonia and periodic paralysis, leading to pre-clinical therapeutic strategies. Cannon's innovative work includes the creation of genetically-engineered mouse models to explore the pathomechanisms of these disorders, establishing a genetic basis for symptoms experienced in hyperkalemic periodic paralysis and related conditions.

Research Interests