Profiles of Leading Women Scientists on AcademiaNet.
Search among the members of the Leopoldina for experts in specific fields or research topics.
Foto: LMU München
Year of election: | 2013 |
Section: | Physiology and Pharmacology/Toxicology |
City: | Munich |
Country: | Germany |
Martin Biel is working on a family of ion channels that are regulated by cyclic nucleotides. Members of this family (the so-called CNG channels) play a crucial role in visual transduction. The aim of his research is to examine the role of CNG channels in retinal diseases and to develop novel gene therapy approaches for treatment of these diseases. His laboratory is also working on HCN channels. These channels are structurally related to CNG channels and are involved in the control of the heart beat and a variety of neuronal functions. The Biel laboratory aims at dissecting physiological and pathophysiological roles of HCN channels in brain and heart and examines to which extent these channels can be exploited as pharmacological and therapeutic targets.