Pengfei Liang
Contact Information
Assistant Professor, Physiology and Cell Biology
Education
- PhD, Biophysics, University of South Florida
- MS, Medical Physics and Applied Physics, University of South Florida
- BS, Applied Physics, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology
Molecular mechanisms governing TMEM16 family activation and regulation.
We investigate the structure–function relationships and regulatory mechanisms of the TMEM16 family, as well as related superfamily members such as TMEM63/OSCA proteins, with an emphasis on calcium- and mechanically driven gating, lipid scrambling, and ion conduction.
Physiological and pathological roles of TMEM16 family proteins and their functional coupling with calcium-permeable channels.
We study how TMEM16 proteins functionally interact with other calcium-permeable channels, particularly the mechanosensitive ion channel PIEZO1, to regulate membrane phospholipid dynamics, cell signaling, and disease-relevant cellular behaviors in red blood cells, endothelial cells, and cardiovascular tissues.
Therapeutic targeting of TMEM16 family proteins and associated signaling pathways.
We aim to develop and characterize small-molecule modulators targeting TMEM16 proteins and their interacting partners for the treatment of cardiovascular and hematological disorders, including but not limited to thrombosis, sickle cell disease, hypertension, and heart disease.