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Dr Paola Vergani
Associate Professor
Neuro, Physiology & Pharmacology
Div of Biosciences
- Joined UCL
- 1st Oct 2005
Research summary
Cystic fibrosis is the most common life-threatening inherited disease in the UK. We study the protein whose dysfunction causes cystic fibrosis, CFTR. This same protein is responsible for the excessive salt/water loss occurring during secretory diarrhoeas (e.g. cholera). CFTR belongs to the superfamily of ABC proteins, which couple hydrolytic cycles at conserved nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs) to diverse cellular functions. CFTR is unique among ABC proteins in that its transmembrane domains comprise an ion channel. With our experiments we aim at deepening our understanding of how CFTR works, setting foundations for pharmacological alteration of its activity.
Teaching summary
I contribute to undergraduate teaching for Science students, and preclinical teaching for Medical students on several physiology and pharmacology modules. Since 2015 I am stream lead for Biomedical Sciences on the Natural Sciences programme. I am a module organiser for BIOS0019 Life Scienes Foundation, and BIOS0017 MSci Research Project in Life Sciences.
Education
- University College London
- Other Postgraduate qualification (including professional), ATQ07 - Holder of a PGCE in higher education, secondary edu, further edu, life long lear | 2008
- Universita degli Studi di Milano
- Doctorate, Doctor of Philosophy | 1995
- Universita degli Studi di Pavia
- Other higher degree, Master of Science (by research) | 1991
Biography
I graduated from the University of Pavia, and obtained my PhD from the University of Milan, studying membrane transport mechanisms in yeast. After a first postdoctoral research period at Wye College, University of London, I moved to the Rockefeller University in New York where I started working on the structure/function of CFTR. In 2006 I joined the then Pharmacology Department at UCL as a lecturer.