Contact Details
- Phone
- +64 3 479 7252
- kirk.hamilton@otago.ac.nz
- Position
- Associate Professor
- Department
- Department of Physiology
- Qualifications
- MA (Texas) PhD (Utah State)
- Research summary
- Ion channels and transport
Research
My main research interest is the molecular regulation, physiology and function of ion channels of epithelial tissues. My research is focused on the molecular regulation and trafficking of K+ channels, in particular, the human intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel, KCa3.1 and the one transmembrane domain K+ channels β-subunits KCNE1 and KCNE3. We are using biotin-ligase acceptor peptide (BLAP) technology to tagged K+ channels in order to examine their cellular and membrane fate. We hope to further understand the role of KCa3.1 in cell biology.
A new research avenue has emerged from collaboration with members of the Auckland Bioengineering Institute in which we are developing mathematical modeling approaches to understand the function of the nephron. The goal of this research is to develop a framework for the comprehensive model description of biophysically detailed multi-scale physiological model of multi-nephron complex.