James Mrkvicka
Biography
Voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels are key mediators of brain activity. Mutations within these genes can cause neurological disorders, including epilepsy and chronic pain. However, studies show that damaging mutations within NaV channel genes confer uncertain risk, meaning that the severity of defects caused by an NaV channel mutation is significantly modified by genetic and environmental factors. In my thesis, I study the basic mechanisms of recently identified modifying factors using a fly model system.