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	2002 Fellow			Zulma J. Dueñas, Ph.D. Universidad Nacional de Colombia Facultad de Medicina Departamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas Transversal 38A N° 40-01 Bogotá D.C., Colombia Tel: 57 13 165000 ext 15057 Fax: 57 12 221 093 Email: zujadugo@hotmail.com

Country: COLOMBIA

Field: Physiology and Pharmacology

Research Interest: I am interested in studying at cellular and molecular levels, the function of the y amino butyric acid (GABA). GABA is the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate brain, including that of humans. GABA acts via three types of receptors: GABA A, GABA B, and GABA C. I am interested in characterizing the functional properties of GABAA and GABAC receptors expressed in the cerebellum and in the cerebral cortex. This will be done by isolating mRNAs and plasma membranes containing already assembled GABA receptors from the rat or bovine cerebral cortex and cerebellum. The mRNA and the membranes will be injected into Xenopus oocytes to "express" the receptors and to characterize electrophysiological and pharmacological properties.