Dr. Gladys Ko

Research

The research interests of our lab are circadian biology and synaptic plasticity. We focus on the circadian regulation of ion channel physiology and function in the retina and heart, since disruption of circadian oscillations in these tissues leads to retina degeneration or cardiovascular diseases. We found that intrinsic circadian oscillators modulate the apparent affinity of cGMP-gated ion channels (CNGCs) and regulate the protein expression of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs). Both post-transcriptional regulation via microRNAs and post-translational regulation via various signaling pathways are involved in the circadian regulation of L-VGCCs and CNGCs in retinal photoreceptors. Functionally, circadian rhythms of L-VGCCs are important in regulating melatonin release and retinoschisin secretion from photoreceptors. Circadian regulation of CNGCs is important in photoreceptor light sensitivity. Our lab is also interested in circadian regulation of neurotoxicity. Students and post-docs joining the lab will learn and use patch-clamp electrophysiological recordings, Western immunoblotting, immunocytochemistry (confocal imaging), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), quantitative RT-PCR, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and other molecular techniques in these projects.

Teaching

• VIBS / NRSC 450 H, stacked-up with VIBS/NRSC 603 - Mammalian Functional Neuroanatomy (4 credit hours)
• VIBS 485 - Directed Studies: Undergraduate Research
• BIOL 601 - Biological Clocks