Unsung Receptors

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Cellular signaling is at the basis of all biological functions. At the heart of this field are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), membrane receptors that account for the largest gene family in the human genome. These receptors also represent the largest class of “druggable” proteins with ~30% of all currently approved FDA-drugs targeting GPCRs. Moreover, recent discoveries have unveiled novel functions for understudied GPCRs that have shed new light on important physiological processes ranging from blood pressure regulation to wound healing. Using seminal peer-reviewed scientific literature, students in this course will learn the principles of GPCR signaling and their novel functions in health and disease. Topics covered will include opioid receptors as targets for pain management, chemosensors that govern the sensory systems, frizzled receptors that modulate tissue development, and many others. Students enrolled in this course will be expected to utilize critical analytical skills to read, interpret, and present findings from the scientific literature. They will apply these research skills to case studies and learn to effectively communicate their scientific discoveries.