Dr Géza Berecki
PhD
Location
Parkville Campus
30 Royal Parade
Parkville Victoria 3052

Biography
My research is focused on ion channel physiology, ion channel pharmacology, and intracellular signalling. Currently, I study the contribution of ion channel dysfunction to neuronal excitability in genetic epilepsies using various model systems such as patient-derived stem cell neurons, mammalian cells, and transgenic mice.
During my previous appointments, I investigated the mechanism of action of synthetic conotoxins targeting ion channels and receptors and modulation of ion channels via G protein-coupled receptor signalling. This research resulted in patenting of a number of synthetic peptides for the management of neuropathic pain.
As an early-career postdoctoral fellow, I have been involved in cardiac cellular electrophysiology studies and contributed to the cardiac ion channel research field by developing the dynamic action potential clamp technique. Currently, I am implementing this approach for modeling neurophysiological consequences of voltage-gated ion channel mutations in epilepsy.
Dynamic-clamp analysis provides clear benefits over conventional voltage clamp for a rapid and definitive prediction ofneuron-scale phenotypic consequences, and is well positioned to impact diagnosis and drug discovery in genetic epilepsy.
Awards and achievements
2012–2015 NHMRC Project Grant (CIA)
2007–2009 University of Queensland Postdoctoral Fellowship
2002 Marie Curie Fellowship from the European Union