On October 27, 2015, the Department of Biology and the Dean of the Faculty of Science had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Tara Klassen from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at UBC.
Dr. Klassen spoke about her research into a personalized medicine approach to assessing and possibly treating Epilepsy, a disease which is caused by ion channel misfunction. Dr. Klassen first connected with our faculty member Dr. Allan Arndt as an undergraduate research student at Brandon University. She then went on to complete her PhD investigating ion channel function at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, followed by a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Baylor University in Houston Texas where she identified mutations associated with epilepsy. Dr. Klassen’s current research focuses on how mutations in ion channel proteins can lead to misfiring of neurons which cause epileptic seizures. This condition is often associated with many other side effects and can be very difficult to treat.
What sets Dr. Klassen’s research apart from traditional mutational analysis, is she uses computational 3-D analysis of ion channel protein shape to understand how multiple mutations can act synergistically to destable these proteins. In the future, this may allow physicians to consult with potential parents to assess risks of epilepsy if they had children, as well as potentially lead to novel drug design and improved treatment.
Links:
Dr. Klassen’s Lab: facebook.com/universityofbc/videos/10153588842663704/
Biography: pharmsci.ubc.ca/directory/tara-l-klassen
UFV’s Biology Department: ufv.ca/biology/
More Photos: ufv.collegiatelink.net/organization/faculty_of_science/gallery/album/2964
