Current Research
Mentor: Leonid Kruglyak, PhD
Biological cells – from bacteria to those in our bodies – maintain a difference in voltage, called membrane potential, between their exterior and interior. Membrane potential can power molecular machines and transmit cellular signals. Giancarlo Bruni seeks to understand how evolution has shaped membrane potential within and across species, and how differences in membrane potential contribute to biological variation between individuals. This work will provide insights into the role played by membrane potential in health and disease.