Leighton Izu, Ph.D.
Research/Academic Interests
1. Effect of spatial distribution of molecules on cellular dynamics. We are particularly interested in
how subtle spatial redistribution of ryanodine receptors, brought on by changes in myofilament
Ca2+ sensitivity, alters the stability of the Ca2+ control system. An understanding of the interaction
of the mechanical and Ca2+ control systems might provide insight into why patients with familial
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are at a high risk of sudden cardiac death.
2. Inverse methods. Drugs or mutations can affect many cellular subsystems. We are using inverse
methods to identify the cellular targets of these drugs or mutations. Once identified, targeted
experiments can be carried out to test whether the putative targets are in fact affected by the drug
or mutation directly or indirectly.
Title
Associate Professor
Specialty
Pharmacology
Department
Pharmacology
Address/Phone
Genome and Biomedical Sciences Building, Genome & Biomedical Sciences Facility, 451 Health
Sciences Drive Suite 3503 Davis, CA 95616
Phone: 530-752-3200
Additional Phone
Email
Education
Phone: 530-752-0324
ltizu@ucdavis.edu
Ph.D., State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo NY
B.A., University of Hawaii at Manoa, Manoa HI
Select Recent Publications
See: Complete List of Publications
© 2016 UC Regents