Rikard Blunck, Ph.D. Regular member GÉPROM Assistant professor Department of Physics Université de Montréal Affiliated member Department of Physiology Université de Montréal Canada Research Chair on the Molecular Mechanisms of Membrane Proteins

Contact information

Current projects

• Structure-function relations of voltage-gated K⁺channels
• Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy on purified membrane proteins reconstituted in planar lipid bilayer
• Investigation of the molecular mechanisms of membrane proteins with fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy
• Investigation of the translocation mechanism of pore-forming toxins using fluorescence spectroscopy

Laboratory members

• Sandra Baretto (M.Sc. student, Physics Dept.)

  sm.barreto@umontreal.ca
• Zarah Batulan (Postdoc)

  zarah.batulan@elf.mcgill.ca
• Élise Faure (Ph.D. student, Physiology Dept.)

  e.faure@umontreal.ca
• Nicolas Groulx (Ph.D. student, Physics Dept.)

  ncg73@hotmail.com
• Georges Haddad (M.Sc. student, Physics Dept.)

  georges.anthony.haddadd@gmail.com
• Mireille Marsolais (technician)

  mireille.marsolais@umontreal.ca
• Hugo McGuire (M.Sc. student, Physics Dept.)

  hugo.mcguire@gmail.com

Selected publications

• Richardson J, Blunck R, Ge P, Selvin PR, Bezanilla F, Papazian DM, Correa AM.

  Distance measurements reveal a common topology of prokaryotic voltage-gated ion channels in the lipid bilayer.

  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Oct 24;103(43):15865-70. Pubmed
• Blunck R, Cordero-Morales JF, Cuello LG, Perozo E, Bezanilla F.

  Detection of the opening of the bundle crossing in KcsA with fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy reveals the existence of two gates for ion conduction.

  J Gen Physiol. 2006 Nov;128(5):569-81. Pubmed
• Scheel O, Papavlassopoulos M, Blunck R, Gebert A, Hartung T, Zähringer U, Seydel U, Schromm AB.

  Cell activation by ligands of the toll-like receptor and interleukin-1 receptor family depends on the function of the large-conductance potassium channel MaxiK in human macrophages.

  Infect Immun. 2006 Jul;74(7):4354-6. Pubmed
• Blunck R, Chanda B. and Bezanilla F.

  Nano to Micro - Fluorescence Measurements of Electric Fields in Molecules and Genetically Specified Neurons.

  Journal of Membrane Biology. 2005 Nov; 208 (2): 91-102.
• Chanda B, Blunck R, Faria LC, Schweizer FE, Mody I, Bezanilla F.

  A hybrid approach to measuring electrical activity in genetically specified neurons.

  Nat Neurosci. 2005 Nov;8(11):1619-26. Pubmed
• Chanda B, Asamoah OK, Blunck R, Roux B, Bezanilla F.

  Gating charge displacement in voltage-gated ion channels involves limited transmembrane movement.

  Nature. 2005 Aug 11;436(7052):852-6. Pubmed
• Ries R, Choi H, Blunck R, Bezanilla F and Heath JR.

  Black Lipid Membranes: Visualizing the Structure, Dynamics, and Substrate Dependence of Membranes.

  J Phys Chem B. 2004 Jul; 108 (41) 16040-16049.
• Blunck R, Starace DM, Correa AM, Bezanilla F.

  Detecting rearrangements of shaker and NaChBac in real-time with fluorescence spectroscopy in patch-clamped mammalian cells.

  Biophys J. 2004 Jun;86(6):3966-80. Pubmed
• Pantoja R, Nagarah JM, Starace DM, Melosh NA, Blunck R, Bezanilla F, Heath JR.

  Silicon chip-based patch-clamp electrodes integrated with PDMS microfluidics.

  Biosens Bioelectron. 2004 Oct 15;20(3):509-17. Pubmed
• Seydel U, Scheel O, Mueller M, Brandenburg K, Blunck R.

  A K+ channel is involved in LPS signaling.

  J.Endotoxin Res.. 2001; 7(3): 243-247.
• Pantoja R, Sigg D, Blunck R, Bezanilla F, Heath JR.

  Bilayer reconstitution of voltage-dependent ion channels using a microfabricated silicon chip.

  Biophys. J.. 2001 Oct; 81(4): 2389-2394.
• Blunck R, Scheel O, Mller M, Brandenburg K, Seitzer U, Seydel U.

  New Insights Into Endotoxin-Induced Activation of Macrophages: Involvement of a K(+) Channel in Transmembrane Signaling.

  J.Immunol.. 2001.Jan.15.;166.(2.):1009.-1015. 166:1009-1015.
• Seydel U, Schromm AB, Blunck R, Brandenburg K.

  Chemical structure, molecular conformation, and bioactivity of endotoxins.

  Chem.Immunol.. 2000.;74.:5.-24. 74:5-24:5-24.
• Schromm AB, Brandenburg K, Blunck R, Fukase K, Kusumoto S, Rietschel ET, et al.

  A biophysical approach towards an understanding of endotoxin-induced signal transduction.

  J.Endotoxin Res.. 1999; 5:41-45.
• Blunck R, Kirst U, Riessner T, Hansen U.

  How powerful is the dwell-time analysis of multichannel records?

  J.Membr.Biol.. 1998; 165:19-35.
• Hansen U-P, Keunecke M, Blunck R.

  Gating and permeation models of plant channels.

  J.Exp.Bot.. 1997; 48:365-382.