UNMC researcher Paul Sorgen, Ph.D., answers questions about his work, life and interests.
NOTE: This profile is part of a series highlighting the 23 researchers who will be honored at an April 6 ceremony for UNMC’s 2009 Scientist Laureate, Distinguished Scientist and New Investigator award recipients.
- Name: Paul Sorgen, Ph.D.
- Title: Associate professor in the College of Medicine
- Joined UNMC: 2003
- Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
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Paul Sorgen, Ph.D. |
Signals for the heart to contract are passed efficiently through gap junctions and my laboratory tries to understand how they close during a heart attack.
How does your research contribute to science and/or health care?
The objective of our research is to use a multi-disciplinary approach to investigate intra- and intermolecular interactions that define the structure of the major cardiac gap junction protein connexin43 (Cx43) during pH gating (channel opening and closing). The study of Cx43 pH gating is significant because intracellular acidification, which leads to closure of gap junctions, is a major consequence of tissue ischemia. In particular, acidification-induced closure of gap junctions may be one of the causes for malignant ventricular arrhythmias during myocardial ischemia and infarction. The rationale for the proposed research is that a better understanding of the structural basis of Cx43 regulation will lead to better strategies to modulate gap junction communication that has been altered due to disease and ischemia injury.
Beyond grant funding, how do you measure success?
I measure the success of a principal investigator by how successful their graduate students and post-docs are in their careers after leaving the laboratory.
List three things few people know about you.
- I referee varsity level high school basketball in Omaha and throughout Nebraska.
- I enjoy working out at the gym.
- I am a huge Florida Gator football fan. Go Gators!