Henry SackinView profile
Professor
Dr. Henry Sackin is a Professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at Rosalind Franklin University's Chicago Medical School and School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. He directs research at the Center for Proteomics and Molecular Therapeutics, focusing on the structure and function of inward rectifier potassium channels. Dr. Sackin received his undergraduate degree in Physics from Brown University (1970) and his PhD in Biophysics from Yale University (1978). After completing postdoctoral training at Yale (1978-1981), he joined the faculty at Cornell University Medical College as Assistant Professor and later Associate Professor (1981-1997). In 1998, he joined Rosalind Franklin University where he has been a full Professor since. His research program investigates ion channels in non-excitable cells, with particular emphasis on inward rectifier potassium channels (Kir) in the kidney's proximal tubule and collecting duct. His laboratory utilizes electrophysiology techniques including patch clamp and whole-cell voltage clamping, heterologous expression in Xenopus oocytes, and liposome reconstitution to study channel permeation and gating mechanisms. A major focus has been understanding how intracellular pH regulates Kir channel function. Dr. Sackin's publication record spans over four decades, with recent work employing lanthanide-based resonance energy transfer (LRET) to determine molecular distances during pH gating of Kir1.1 channels. His research has revealed important structural insights, including that the helix bundle crossing gate widens during opening while the C-terminal domain undergoes rigid body rotation. Continuously funded by American Heart Association and NIH (NIDDK) from 1981-2018 Over 40 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals Research has advanced understanding of renal potassium secretion mechanisms Dr. Sackin's laboratory provides training opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows interested in membrane biophysics and renal physiology. His mentorship has contributed to the development of numerous scientists in the field of ion channel research.