Bimal Desai

Background

About Bimal Desai

Research: It is generally known that electrical signals lie at the very core of our beating hearts and thinking brains. It may however surprise you to know that the vertebrate embryo itself is forged in a storm of electrical activity, evident from the intensity and periodicity of Ca2+ elevations during early embryogenesis. Nevertheless, the identity and roles of ion channels, the switches that control such electrical signals, during developmental, regenerative and homeostatic processes remain largely unexplored and mysterious. How and to what extent are these electrical switches plugged into cellular physiology and developmental biology of non-excitable cells? To answer this central question we look to hematopoietic cells for clues. In contrast to most cell types, hematopoietic cells continue to develop and differentiate throughout the mammalian lifespan - providing an ideal model system to study developmental and homeostatic processes. Additionally, this research direction provides a clear path toward tangible biomedical advances. Because of their easy accessibility on the cell membrane and rapid switch-like activity that can be trapped in ON or OFF states, ion channels are the preferred targets of venoms in nature and increasingly, a large number of drugs in the clinic. By identifying, characterizing and manipulating the ion channels in hematopoietic cells, we hope to gain insights that can be translated into the treatment of chronic inflammation and its adverse impact on various diseases. Expertise: Ion Channels, Immunology, Cell Biology, Chemical Biology