My research focuses on the biochemistry and physiology of membrane transporter proteins. Membrane transporters exist in all biological membranes and mediate the flux of nutrients, ions, and xenobiotics both in and out of living cells. We use molecular biology, biochemical and analytical chemistry methods for the investigation of structure-activity relationships in these proteins. Current research interests include elucidating the identity, function and importance of amino acid transporters in the major human pathogens from the phylum Apicomplexa: Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium spp. I am currently employed as a post-doctoral scientist in the Laboratories of Assoc. Prof. Giel van Dooren and Prof. Stefan Bröer in the Research School of Biology and am enjoying working with the molecular parasitologists, combining the study of isolated transporters proteins with the genetics and cell biology methods that my brilliant colleagues use to study these organisms. I am immensely interested in showing how the chemistry of membrane transporters are vital for understanding their more obviously manifest biological and physiological roles in the whole organisms. I enjoy very much applying new techniques into the novel setting of membrane physiology. Recently this includes widening our research expertise to incorporate high resolution metabolomic techniques such as GC-QQQ and LC-MS/MS, and the expression of apicomplexan membrane proteins in yeast and X.laevis oocytes for high-resolution functional and structural analysis of these proteins.

Doctor of Philosophy (Biochemistry)

Membrane Physiology and Transporters

Protein-Protein Interactions

Electrophysiology

Amino Acid Metabolism

Membrane Transporter Phamacology

Protein Molecular Dynamic Simulations