Targeting Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels in Human Disease: Translational Research in an Academic World

Dr. Terry Snutch received his Ph.D. from Simon Fraser University in 1984 and is currently a professor and Canada Research Chair at the University of British Columbia in the Michael Smith Laboratories and the Departments of Zoology and Psychiatry. His major re¬search interest is the study of the molecular mechanisms of signal transduction in the nervous system and its relationship to neurological disorders.

The research concentrates on using a multidisciplinary approach to characterize various aspects of the molecular, electrophysiological, pharmacological, biochemical and genetic properties of ion channels in normal and pathophysiological states.

Some other projects in Dr. Snutch’s laboratory include the study of G-proteins and kinases involved in modulation of calcium channels, the use of the yeast 2-hybrid system to identify novel proteins that interact with calcium channels, and the knock-out of ion channel and receptor gene expression in cultured cells and animals. Dr. Snutch is also the founder of the biotechnology company Neuromed Pharmaceuticals (now called Zalicus) developing novel treatments aimed at chronic pain and other ion-channel mediated disorders such as absence epilepsy.

Throughout his career, Dr. Snutch has published over 130 research articles, issued over 110 patents throughout the world, and has received numerous honours and awards for his research. Some of the most recent awards include, the Sarrazin Award by the Canadian Physiological Society, named Fellow to the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Science by Simon Fraser University.