Dr. Gregg Wells is a molecular neuroscientist and neuropathologist. He received PhD and MD degrees from the University of Chicago and was trained in anatomic pathology and neuropathology at the University of Pennsylvania. He is board-certified by the American Board of Pathology in anatomic pathology and neuropathology.
His laboratory studies how protein structure contributes to the normal working of the nervous system and leads to neurological diseases. A unifying theme of the projects is the structure and function of ion channels. These proteins allow ions to flow, under regulated conditions, as an electric current across the membranes of nerve cells. This electric current changes how nerve cells work as the fundamental cellular units of nervous system activity.
His research at the level of atomic structure focuses on the cystine-loop superfamily of neurotransmitter-gated ion channels, particularly nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. In humans, these ion channels contribute to addiction, epilepsy, mood disorders and mental illnesses, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease. His lab seeks structural information from these ion channels leading to new therapies for these conditions. His research on cyclic nucleotide-gated channels explains how their electrophysiological function reflects their biophysical properties and cellular context. Studying cochlear hair cell function extends his ion channel research to cellular and systems electrophysiology levels. Explaining neurological diseases in terms of protein structure links his neuroscience research with neuropathology, his medical specialty.