Dr. José A. Lasalde Dominicci is the Program Director of the COBRE Center for Neuroplasticity at the University of Puerto Rico and a Professor of Biology at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. His research is focused on: (1) the structure function relationships of nicotinic receptors, (2), the role of lipid-protein interaction on acetylcholine receptor function, (3) the question of how genetically abnormal ion channels give rise to neurodegeneration, (4) studies towards a high-resolution structure of the Torpedo californica nAChR and a7-nAChRs, and more recently (5) the regulation of neuronal nicotinic receptor in HIV pathogenesis.
Education
- Postdoc, Membrane Biology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA
- Postdoc, Biophysics, University of Puerto Rico, Institute of Neurobiology, San Juan, P.R.
- PhD, Biochemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, P.R.
- BS, Chemistry and Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, P.R.
Research Interests
- Ion Channel Biophysics
- Membrane Biology
- Molecular Neuroscience
- Neuromuscular Diseases
- HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders
- Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor