Sarah is interested in studying protein structure and function across multiple scales of life, from molecular biochemistry and biophysics to functional studies at the cellular and organismal level. During her PhD, she used cryogenic electron microscopy to study protein machines involved in telomere maintenance, a fundamental process critical to cellular aging and tumor suppression.
As a 2024 Schmidt Science Fellow, Sarah will pivot to sensory neurobiology to understand molecular mechanisms underlying nociception and pain. In the laboratories of David Julius and Yifan Cheng at UCSF, Sarah’s research will focus on the transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels responsible for detecting noxious stimuli. She aims to study TRP channel structure and function in sensory neurons to bridge the gap between existing structural and in vivo physiological and behavioral studies.
Acute pain sensation is a defense mechanism that initiates protective physiological responses, but persistent activation of nociceptors can result in debilitating chronic pain conditions. Understanding the regulation of TRP channels in their native environment will provide fundamental insights into human health and disease and also provide a blueprint for the development of new pain therapeutics.