Mechanotransduction across scales: genetics, physiology, and structure of PIEZO Channels in C. elegans
Dec
7
2026
Dec
7
2026
Description
Dr. Valeria Vasquez is an Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
PIEZO channels convert mechanical forces into cellular signals and play important roles in physiology and disease. Using C. elegans and its single PIEZO ortholog, pezo-1, our work examines mechanotransduction across scales, from organismal physiology and channel function to genetics and channel structure. We showed that PEZO-1 is a mechanosensitive channel involved in food sensation and the regulation of pharyngeal pumping. Most recently, structural studies of PEZO-1 isoforms revealed unexpected architectural diversity and provided new insight into how alternative splicing may tune mechanosensitivity. Together, these studies uncover both conserved and divergent principles of PIEZO channel function, regulation, and physiology.
Hosted by Dr. Amy Lee
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