Brian Tanaka Email & Phone Number

New Haven, Connecticut, United States

New Haven, CT

• Expert in patch clamp electrophysiology (biophysics and pharmacology) of voltage-gated ion channels from rodent sensory neurons, cell lines and human iPSC derived neurons.
• Senior member of the electrophysiology team providing scientific consultation and technical support in experimental design and troubleshooting.
• Successfully showed patient specific efficacy of lacosamide for a rare painful disorder utilizing precision medicine and electrophysiology in cell lines.
• Lead a team of Associates and Scientists to explore pain mechanisms using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from patients with a genetic pain disorder.
• Coordinate with internal (Yale) and external collaborations (2) to ensure stem cell projects advance forward to meet project goals.

New Haven, CT

• In partnership with Convergence Pharmaceuticals, discovered the first Nav1.6 mutation associated with severe chronic pain and demonstrated increased excitability in trigeminal ganglion neurons transfected with mutant.
• Conducted in vitro electrophysiology and pharmacology experiments in rodent sensory neurons to explore the role of voltage-gated sodium channels in peripheral pain.
• Skilled in pharmacologic assessment of peptides and small molecules in modulating channel activity.
• Mentored and trained a visiting scholar in patch clamp electrophysiology which resulted in co-author publication by employing ion channel pharmacology using a scorpion peptide on primary sensory neurons as a.

Irvine, CA

• Conducted extracellular recordings in acute brain slices to measure neuronal activity from a mouse model of inherited epilepsy (GEFS+) and investigate the seizure aggravating properties of lamotrigine and carbamazepine.
• Examined by in vitro electrophysiology the contribution of different neuronal cell types to Scn8a-mediated seizure resistance, and the role of Nav1.6 channel activity in regulating the thalamocortical network in brain.
• Performed immunohistochemical staining and confocal imaging of fixed brain tissues.

Irvine, CA

• Introduced and executed the technique of brain slice recordings to the lab which resulted in several publications, including Neuron.
• Performed acute brain slice electrophysiology and Western blot analysis to show that Scn8a haploinsufficiency reduce seizure-like activity in an animal model of inherited epilepsy.
• Conducted pharmacological characterization of Kv1.3 channels in the thalamus using ShK peptide toxin in acute brain slices.
• Studied the anticonvulsant effects of a riluzole derivative in neuronal firing of hippocampal neurons in brain slices using patch clamp electrophysiology.
• Designed and generated viral vectors for transduction into mammalian cells and primary neurons.

Irvine, CA

• In partnership with Allergan, developed and implemented high-throughput screening of sodium channel blockers in Xenopus oocytes utilizing HTS screening platform (OpusXpress).
• Generated mutant ion channel constructs employing molecular biology techniques (PCR, molecular cloning, electroporation, Western blot, immunostaining, and imaging).
• Measured currents from voltage-gated sodium channels and voltage-gated potassium channels in Xenopus oocytes using conventional two-electrode voltage clamp.
• Monitored inventory and ordered laboratory reagents and supplies.
• Managed maintenance and troubleshooting of experimental resource equipment.

Irvine, CA

Responsible for laboratory maintenance, molecular cloning of voltage-gated sodium channels and supervised undergraduate workers.

Irvine, CA

• Analysis of Drosophila nervous system development in partner of inscuteable/rapsynoid and disc large mutants using immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Biomedical Sciences, General

Dissertation titled "Reduced Scn8a expression in excitatory neurons decreases seizure susceptibility"

Bachelor Of Science (Bs), Biology, Specialized In Developmental & Cell Biology