School of Biosciences & Medicine

Location:      Guildford
Post Type:      Full Time
Closing Date:      Tuesday 30 April 2019

Nerve ion channels play a crucial role in brain function as nerve firing is triggering by the opening and closing of ion channels that allow a current of molecular ions to flow in and out of neurons, triggering the action potential travels along nerves. Many brain disorders, such as Parkinson’s and epilepsy are associated with abnormal nerve firings patterns and particularly the synchrony of nerve firing1. Ion channels are made up of proteins in the membrane of cells that can cooperate for the onset and propagation of electrical signals across membranes by providing highly selective conduction of charges bound to ions through a channel like structure. In fact, each ion channel is specialized for specific ions, e.g. potassium channels only permit potassium ions to pass the membrane while they reject other ions (e.g. sodium) to pass. This property is called selectivity and the important part of the ion channel that is responsible for selectivity is called the selectivity filter. Numerous investigations of ion selectivity have been conducted over more than 50 years, yet the mechanisms whereby the channels select certain ions and reject others are not well understood. It has been hypothesized that quantum coherence and quantum interference effects play a key role in both selectivity and speed of transport through ion channels in nerve membranes2. The hypothesis, if true, might help to account for the recent finding that weak electromagnetic (EM) fields, of the strength and structure of endogenous EM fields in the brain, influence the pattern of neuron firing and particularly neuronal synchrony 3-5.

The aim of this project is to test the hypothesis that quantum coherence plays a role in neuronal ion transport. We will test the hypothesis by measuring currents through ion channels with and without external EM fields and using both normal and heavy isotopes of ions, such as K+, in order to perturb coherences. We will compare the results to predictions made through quantum mechanical simulations of ion channel conductivity in order to test the hypothesis that quantum coherence is involved in ion channel conductivity and selectivity.

To Apply please click on the following link:

https://www.surrey.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/studentships/multiscale-investigation-role-quantum-effects-spontaneous-mechanism

Application deadline 30 April 2019 

Contact details

Johnjoe McFadden
07 AX 01
Telephone: +44 (0)1483 686494
E-mail: J.Mcfadden@surrey.ac.uk