Faculty Research : Faculty Research Detail

Laura Bianchi, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Physiology and Biophysics

305-243-1887 (office)

305-243-5931 (fax)

Rosenstiel Medical Science Building - 5133

lbianchi@med.miami.edu

Curriculum Vitae

1992 B.S. and M.A. in Biology, University of Milan, Italy

1997 PhD Physiology, University of Florence, Italy

1997-1998 Postdoctoral Fellowship, Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve

1998-2001 Postdoctoral Fellowship, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University

2001-2006 Research Assistant Professor, Dept. of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University

2006-present Assistant Professor, Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami School of Medicine

Research Interests

Visit Bianchi Lab Page

Postdoctoral position available

Our laboratory is interested in deciphering the role of DEG/ENaC ion channels in sensory perception and neurodegeneration and primarily employs the powerful model organism C. elegans. DEG/ENaCs are two-transmembrane domain subunits of voltage-independent Na+ channels that function as trimers in an extraordinary range of biological processes including touch sensation, pain sensation, thermo-sensation, pheromone perception, proprioception, vascular and visceral mechanotransduction, taste and transepithelial Na+ transport. DEG/ENaC dysfunction has been linked to human diseases. For example, mutant epithelially-expressed DEG/ENaC channels cause a form of salt-sensitive hypertension called Liddle syndrome and neuronally-expressed DEG/ENaCs induce neurodegeneration in conditions in which they become hyperactivated.

Techniques: genetics, molecular biology, imaging, C. elegans primary cell culture, two-electrodes voltage-clamp in Xenopus oocytes, patch-clamp.

Recent Publications

Wang Y, D'Urso G, Bianchi L. (2011) Knock-out of glial channel ACD-1 exacerbates sensory deficits in a C. elegans mutant by regulating calcium levels of sensory neurons. J Neurophysiol. 2011 Oct 12. [Epub ahead of print]

Bianchi L, Díez-Sampedro A. (2010) A single amino acid change converts the sugar sensor SGLT3 into a sugar transporter. PLoS One. 5(4):e10241.

Wang Y, Bianchi L. (2009) Insights into the Molecular Determinants of Proton Inhibition in an Acid-Inactivated Degenerins and Mammalian Epithelial Na(+) Channel. Biochemistry. 48(42): 10005-13.

Wang Y.&, Apicella A. Jr&, Lee S-K, Ezcurra M., Slone D., Goldmit M., Schafer W. R., Shaham S., Driscoll M. and Bianchi L. * (2008) A glial DEG/ENaC channel functions with neuronal channel DEG-1 to mediate specific sensory functions in C. elegans. EMBO Journal 2008 Sep 17;27(18):2388-99.
* Corresponding author, & These two authors contributed equally to this work

Zhang W., Bianchi L., Lee W.-H., Wang Y., Israel S. and Driscoll M. (2008) Intersubunit interactions between mutant DEG/ENaCs induce synthetic neurotoxicity. Cell Death and Differentiation, 15(11): 179-803

Tsechpenakis G.*, Bianchi L.*, Metaxas D. and Driscoll M. (2008) A novel computational approach for simultaneous tracking and feature extraction of C. elegans populations in fluid environments. IEEE Transactions in Biomedical Engineering, 55: 1539-1549.
*These two authors contributed equally to this work

Bianchi L., (2007) Mechanotransduction: touch and feel at the molecular level as modeled in Caenorhabditis elegans. Molecular Neurobiology, 2007 Dec;36(3):254-71.

Royal D. C.*, Bianchi L.*, Royal M. A., Lizzio M., Mukherjee G., Nunez, Y. O. and Driscoll M. (2005)Temperature-sensitive mutant of the Caenorhabditis elegans neurotoxic MEC-4(d) DEG/ENaC channel identifies a site required for trafficking or surface maintenance.The Journal of Biological Chemistry 280(51):41976-86.
*These two authors contributed equally to this work

Bianchi L., Gerstbrein B., Frøkjær-Jensen C., Royal D. C., Mukherjee G., Royal M. A., Xue J., Schafer W. R. and Driscoll M. (2004) The neurotoxic MEC-4(d) DEG/ENaC sodium channel conducts calcium: implications for necrosis initiation. Nature Neuroscience, 7 (12): 1337-1344.

Suzuki H.*, Kerr R. A.*, Bianchi L., Frøkjær-Jensen C., Slone D., Xue J., Gerstbrein B., Driscoll M. and Schafer W. R. (2003)In vivo imaging of C. elegans mechanosensory neurons demonstrates a specific role for the MEC-4 channel in the process of gentle touch sensation. Neuron, 39(6):1005-1017.
*These two authors contributed equally to this work.

Bianchi L., S-M. Kwok, Driscoll M., and Sesti F. (2003). A potassium channel-MiRP complex controls neurosensory function in Caenorhabditis elegans. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 278: 12415 – 12424.

Bianchi L., and Driscoll M., (2002)Protons at the gate: DEG/ENaC ion channels help us feel and remember. Review, Neuron, 34: 337-340.

George A. L. Jr., Bianchi L., Link E. M., Vanoye C. G. (2001)From stones to bones: The biology of ClC chloride channels. Review, Current Biology, 11(15): R620-628.

Rutledge E., Bianchi L., Christensen M., Boehmer C., Morrison R., Broslat A., Beld A. M., George A. L. Jr., Greenstein D. and Strange K. (2001).CLH-3, ClC-2 anion channel ortholog activated during meiotic maturation in C. elegans oocytes. Current Biology, 11 (3): 161-170

Book chapters:

Bianchi L.* and Driscoll M. (2006) Culture of embryonic C. elegans cells for electrophysiological and pharmacological analyses. Book Chapter in WormBook, ed. The C. elegans Research Community, (http://www.wormbook.org).
* Corresponding author

Bianchi L.* and Driscoll M. (2006)Heterologous expression of C. elegans channels in Xenopus oocytes. Book Chapter in WormBook, ed. The C. elegans Research Community.
* Corresponding author

Bianchi L., and Driscoll M., (2004) The molecular basis of touch sensation as modeled in Caenorhabditis elegans. Book Chapter in “Transduction channels in sensory cells”, (eds. Frings, S. & Bradley J.), 1-29 (Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, Germany).

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