Lukacs Lab

Our mission

We study sensory nerves, the gatekeepers of information input to the nervous system. These cells detect and decode the information from our surroundings. Activity of these nerves initiates a long chain of events that ultimately leads to sensory percepts. Our main focus is identifying and studying the proteins that allow sensory nerves to detect physical and chemical cues such as touch and temperature. These receptors are vital for our survival, their activity often warning us of potential harm. The fascinating molecular diversity of sensory nerves provides a rich tapestry for these studies. We use electrophysiology, fluorescent imaging, and advanced molecular biological techniques in our investigations. We also develop new techniques, combining genome engineering and high-throughput cell sorting technology to identify new target proteins.