Robert Oswald

<TITLE>Robert Oswald</TITLE> <CENTER><TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER VALIGN=TOP CELLPADDING=10> <TR> <TD VALIGN=TOP><table border=3 cellpadding=1><tr><td><IMG Align=TOP SRC="oswald_molecule.JPEG" ></td></tr></table></TD> <TD VALIGN=MIDDLE><B><H2><CENTER>Robert E. Oswald</CENTER></H2><HR> <H3>Professor of Pharmacology<BR> <A HREF="../Department.html">Department of Molecular Medicine</A><BR> College of Veterinary Medicine<BR> Cornell University</H3></TD> </TR> </TABLE> </CENTER> <HR> <BR> <B>Protein Structure and Function</B> <P> Our research interests center on two important membrane proteins: nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and glutamate receptors. Both receptors are large membrane-bound proteins which mediate the flow of ions from the exterior to the interior of a cell following an interaction with a small organic molecule (i.e., an agonist). Acetylcholine receptors are important neurotransmitter receptors in skeletal muscle, the peripheral nervous system, and the central nervous system; glutamate receptors are the primary excitatory neurotransmitter receptors in the vertebrate central nervous system. <P> Among the specific projects underway in our laboratory are the following: (1) a study of the structure and regulatory properties of the electroplaque and skeletal muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptors; and (2) a study of the structure and function of the kainate subtype of glutamate receptor purified from goldfish brain. The techniques used to approach these problems include radioligand binding, photoaffinity labeling, protein purification and reconstitution, molecular biology, single channel recording, multidimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and mathematical modeling. By using a variety of complementary approaches, we are attempting to understand, on a molecular level, the structure and regulation of these important membrane proteins. <P> <A HREF = "Oswald_CV.html">Curriculum vitae and selected publications</A><BR><P> <CENTER><A HREF = "../cornell_pharmacology.html">Field of Pharmacology Home Page</A></CENTER> <BR> <HR> <BR> <TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP CELLPADDING=5> <TR> <TD VALIGN=TOP><IMG Align=Top SRC="../faculty_pictures/oswald_low.jpeg"></TD> <TD VALIGN=MIDDLE> <PRE>Robert E. Oswald Department of Pharmacology College of Veterinary Medicine Cornell University Ithaca, New York 14853 USA <a href=mailto:reo1@cornell.edu>e-mail</a>: reo1@cornell.edu phone: 607-253-3877 FAX: 607-253-3659 </PRE> </TD> </TR> </TABLE>