Susan L. Hamilton, Ph.D.
Chair and Professor
Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
L.F. McCollum Chair in Molecular Physiology
Education
Ph.D., University of Colorado Medical Center
Postdoctoral, Columbia University
Academic Leadership - Faculty Mentor
Molecular Physiology and Physiology Graduate Program
MPCS Training Program
E-mail: susanh@bcm.edu
Telephone: 713-798-5704
Fax: 713-798-5441
Research Focus
Skeletal Muscle Excitation-Contraction coupling, ryanodine receptors L-type Ca2+ Channels and diseases of skeletal muscle.
My laboratory has been studying excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle and the molecular mechanisms of human diseases related to E-C coupling for more than 20 years. We began at a very molecular level studying the structure and function of the t-tubule L-type Ca2+ channel and the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release channel. We have now expanded our studies to assess the function of these proteins in tissues and animals. We use a wide range of techniques to study these processes including protein biochemistry, molecular biology, radioligand binding, electron cryomicroscopy and angular reconstitution, reconstitution of channels into planar lipid bilayers, Ca2+ imaging and measurement of whole cell Ca2+ currents and Ca2+ transients, creation of new mouse models using knock-out, knock-in and directed expression techniques, contractile studies on isolated muscle, real time PCR, and sectioning and histochemical staining.
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