LIFE SCIENCES
Heinrich Heine University Researchers Turn to JUWELS Supercomputer to Better Understand HCN Channels
Principal Investigator:
Prof. Dr. Holger Gohlke
Affiliation:
Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
Local Project ID:
hcn2coop
HPC Platform used:
JUWELS Booster at JSC
Date published:
Stabilized and destabilized regions of the glycine-linker constructs according to rigidity analyses.
A research team led by Prof. Holger Gohlke at the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf is using supercomputing resources at the Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC) to better understand so-called hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide–gated (HCN) channels, which serve as crucial ion channels in the membrane for controlling electric pulses in the brain and heart, among other fundamental processes in the body. By investigating the activation and modulation mechanisms of these channels through a combination of molecular dynamics simulations, electrophysiological techniques, and mathematical modeling, the team uncovered crucial insights, including glycine insertions’ influence on structural and functional effects on the ion channels. This research not only enhances understanding of channel activation, but might also pave the way for the development of targeted drugs for heart disease, pain, inflammation, and epilepsy.
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