معرفی
Frederick Sigworth is a Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Biomedical Engineering, and Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale University. He holds primary faculty appointments in Cellular & Molecular Physiology and secondary appointments in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry. His research focuses on the structural and functional analysis of ion-channel proteins using cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) and electrophysiological techniques. Sigworth’s work has significantly advanced understanding of ion channel gating mechanisms, voltage sensor function, and membrane protein structure.
Education: PhD in Physiology from Yale University (1979). Postdoctoral training at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry (Göttingen, Germany) under Erwin Neher, co-developer of the patch-clamp technique. Key contributions include pioneering cryo-EM methods for membrane protein analysis and structural studies of potassium channels.
Research interests span structural biology, ion channel biophysics, and cryo-EM methodology. Notable projects include determining the structure of the BK potassium channel and developing computational tools for single-particle image analysis. Collaborations include work with Henry J. Binder and Joseph Santos-Sacchi on ion channel physiology and engineering.
Awards include AAAS Fellowship (2023), National Academy of Sciences membership (2016), and the K. C. Cole Award (1997). His lab, the Sigworth Lab, integrates experimental and computational approaches to study ion channel mechanisms. Phased retirement status indicates reduced but ongoing academic engagement.
