Current Research
TrpV1 is the protein that sends signals of searing pain after a bite of a spicy chili pepper – but it also responds to scalding heat. Willow Coyote-Maestas is detailing the mechanisms by which this protein senses heat. Coyote-Maestas looks for genetic mutations that change TrpV1’s response to high temperatures, then uses high-resolution microscopes to examine how changes in temperature sensation alter protein structure. Linking TrpV1’s shape to its temperature sensitivity will help scientists better understand how we feel heat.