Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Section - Division of Intramural Research

 Kenton J  Swartz  Ph.D., Senior Investigator

Dr. Swartz received his B.S. degree in Chemistry and Biology in 1986 from Eastern Mennonite College. In 1992 he received his Ph.D. in Neurobiology from Harvard University where he worked with Bruce Bean studying the regulation of voltage-gated calcium channels by G-proteins and protein kinases. He did postdoctoral training with Roderick MacKinnon at Harvard Medical School, where he began isolating and studying toxins that interact with voltage-activated potassium channels. Dr. Swartz joined NINDS as an Investigator in 1997 and was promoted to Senior Investigator in 2003. His laboratory is using biochemical, molecular biological and biophysical techniques to investigate the structure of voltage-activated ion channels and to explore the molecular mechanics by which these channels gate.

Laboratory Staff

Maria Bahamonde Santos, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow 
Frank Bosmans, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow 
Tsg-Hui (Helena) Chang, M.Sc Research Assistant 
Jeet Kalia, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow 
Dmitriy Krepkiy, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow  - -
Mufeng Li, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow 
Mirela Milescu, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow 
Margaret Parker, B.S. Post baccalaureate Fellow 
Shai Silberberg, Ph.D. Adjunct Investigator 
Jaime Smith, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow 

Research Interests

Voltage-gated ion channels are expressed in many cells types and are important for an array of physiological processes, including the generation and processing of electrical signals in the nervous system, regulation of heart contraction and secretion of hormones. The role of these channels in electrical signaling is particularly important because they open and close in response to changes in membrane voltage. For example, action potentials result from the orchestrated action of voltage-gated sodium and potassium channels, and voltage-gated calcium channels convert electrical to chemical signals in the process of excitation-secretion coupling.

Selected Recent Publications

Li, M., Chang, T-H., Silberberg, S.D. and Swartz, K.J.
Gating the pore of P2X receptor channels. - Nature Neuroscience    2008

Silberberg, S.D, Li, M. and Swartz, K.J.
Ivermectin interaction with transmembrane helices reveals widespread rearrangements during opening of P2X receptor channels - Neuron  54 263-274 2007

Alabi, A.A., Bahamonde, M.I., Jung, H.J., Kim, J.I., and Swartz, K.J.
Portability of paddle motif function and pharmacology in voltage sensors - Nature  450 370-375 2007

Milescu, M., Vobecky, J., Roh, S.H., Kim, S.H., Jung, H.J., Kim, J.I. and Swartz, K.J.
Tarantula toxins interact with voltage sensors within lipid membranes - J Gen Physiol  130 497-511 2007

Soler-Llavina, G., Chang, T. and Swartz, K.J.
Functional interactions at the interface between voltage sensing and pore domains in the Shaker Kv channel - Neuron  52 623-634 2006

Phillips, L.R., Milescu, M., Li-Smerin, Y., Mindell, J., Kim, J.I. and Swartz, K.J.
Voltage-sensor activation with a tarantula toxin as cargo - Nature  436 857-860 2005

Selected Earlier Publications

Contact Information

Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Section, NINDS Porter Neuroscience Research Center  Building 35, Room 3B-215  35 Convent Drive, MSC 3701 Bethesda MD  20892-3701

Telephone: 301-435- 5652 (office), 301- 435-5653 (laboratory), 301-435- 5666 (fax), Email: swartzk@ninds.nih.gov