Dr Ian Forster
BEng (Elec), MApplSc, PhD

Ian has returned to his home city Melbourne after 30+ years abroad in the UK and Switzerland. He started his research career at the University of Melbourne, as a member of  Graeme Clarke's bionic ear project.

After a brief stint at the Institute of Neurology in London, he moved to the University of Zurich, where he developed  expertise in membrane biophysics and electrophysiology,  focussing on sodium channel gating, ligand-gated receptor channels and structure-function of membrane transport proteins, in particular the renal and intenstinal phosphate transporters.

He has established his electrophysiology rigs in the Ion channels and Disease laboratory where he will contribute to ongoing and new studies on ion channels and membrane pumps that lead to neurological dysfunction as well as his own focus on membrane transport mechanisms.  

Ian's research focus is on structure-function and kinetics of voltage gated ion channels and membrane transporters, including phosphate and amino acids. Ian has expertise in applying electrophysiological and fluorometric techniques to Xenopus oocyte expression system.