معرفی
Michelino Puopolo, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at Stony Brook University's Renaissance School of Medicine. His research focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of pain, with particular emphasis on ion channels and neuronal excitability in nociceptive pathways. He directs the Puopolo Lab, which investigates pain mechanisms using electrophysiology and animal models of neuropathic pain.
Education:
- University of Bologna, Italy - Biology
- University of Ferrara, Italy - PhD Neurobiology & Neurophysiology
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School - Postdoc
Dr. Puopolo's research explores three primary areas: the effects of inflammatory molecules on ion channels in nociceptors, the pharmacology of voltage-dependent sodium channels, and the descending modulation of pain through dopaminergic, noradrenergic, and serotonergic systems. His work utilizes electrophysiology, patch clamp techniques, and animal models to investigate how ion channel properties change during injury and inflammation, leading to chronic pain conditions.
His publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to pain research, with recent work focusing on T-type calcium channels, fatty acid binding proteins, and the role of the hypothalamic-spinal dopaminergic system in pain modulation. His research has important implications for developing new therapeutic approaches for inflammatory and neuropathic pain conditions.
Scientific Recognition:
- Associate Editor, BMC Anesthesiology
Dr. Puopolo collaborates extensively with other researchers in the Department of Anesthesiology, particularly with Dr. Rebecchi, and maintains external collaborations with scientists at institutions like Johns Hopkins University. His laboratory investigates how different endogenous neuromodulators released by descending fibers can modulate the electrical activity of nociceptors, with the goal of identifying potential therapeutic targets for pathological pain conditions.
The Puopolo Lab employs a multidisciplinary approach combining electrophysiology, molecular biology, and behavioral testing to understand pain mechanisms at multiple levels, from ion channel function to whole-animal pain responses. Their work has significant translational potential for developing novel analgesic strategies targeting specific ion channels involved in pain pathways.
