LS2 Section Ion Channels and Membrane Transporters
founded on February16th, 2022Many human diseases, such as hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, cancers, osteoporosis, neurological, and psychiatric disorders, are related to or are based on the dysfunction of membrane transporters and ion channels. These membrane transport proteins are also the targets of many drugs. A thorough understanding of their structure, functioning, and role in diseases is of fundamental importance for advances in basic research and drug development. For several decades, Swiss scientists have been investigating membrane transport proteins at many levels: physiology, pathophysiology, structural biology, cell biology, and pharmacology.
Since 2022, researchers working in Switzerland on ion channels and membrane transporters are coming together to establish a community under the umbrella of Life Sciences Switzerland (LS2). The LS2 section on Ion Channels and Membrane Transporters is an outgrowth of two SNSF-funded National Centers of Competence in Research (NCCR) - TransCure and Kidney.CH - both of which were active from 2010 to 2022 and focused entirely or in part on these membrane transport proteins. A dynamic community of scientists from Swiss research institutions has grown around these two NCCRs.
This section aims to maintain this multidisciplinary community beyond the NCCRs' lifespan and foster collaboration among its members. It envisions productive networking with other LS2 sections. It aims to develop into a reference cluster for Swiss scientists working on the physiology, cell biology, biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, and pharmacology of ion channels and membrane transporters.
Executive Committee
Katja Odening - President
University of Bern
katja.odening@unibe.ch
Johannes Loffing - Vice-President
University of Zürich
johannes.loffing@anatomy.uzh.ch
Hugues Abriel
University of Bern
hugues.abriel@unibe.ch
Manuele Rebsamen
University of Lausanne
manuele.rebsamen@unil.ch
Cristina Manatschal
University of Zürich
c.manatschal@bioc.uzh.ch
Maud Frieden
University of Geneva
maud.frieden@unige.ch
Institutional Supporter
Existing LS2 Members: Login at www.ls2.ch using your member name and password. Click on your name at the top right of the page. Go to "Account Overview" and add the new section using the checkbox "Section Ion Channels and Membrane Transporters". Alternatively, you can write to the LS2 office (info@ls2.ch) and request the change.
New Members: Apply for the LS2 membership here and select "Section Ion Channels and Membrane Transporters" in the online application form. LS2 members can chhose to be affiliated to multiple sections.
Are you a scientist trying to find a research group led by women working on membrane transporters, ion channels or membrane biology? Are you looking for a speaker in the field of Biophysics for your next conference?
The website -Women Plus in Biophysics- offers you a tool to find researchers in Biophysics from all over the world by their position, research topic or name of the country where they are based. You may have access to the complete list of scientists registered by searching "all", which displays all the records alphabetically listed.
The database is an initiative of Hugues Abriel – former NCCR TransCure (Switzerland) director - and Sharona Gordon from the University of Washington, Seattle (USA). The University of Bern and LS2 ICMT section currently support the site.
The meeting took place on 6 September 2023 in Bern. With more than 80 participants, it was a real success.
Thank you to speakers, participants and sponsors!
See all details of the meeting here.
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