The Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas, presents the newly established "A.G. Leventis Electrophysiology Unit", the existence of which became possible with the generous contribution of the Leventis Foundation.

The "A.G. Leventis Electrophysiology Unit" provides the researchers of the Institute as well as their collaborators in Greece with the capability to utilize an avant-garde and advanced biomedical techinique, the patch-clamp technique. This technique was first used in 1981 by Bert Sakmann and Erwin Neher, who received the Nobel prize in 1991. Since then, the utilization of the patch-clamp technique has allowed the investigation and discovery of novel proteins, which have been shown to be involved in serious diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, diabetes, cardiac, neurological and gastrenterological diseases. Specifically, this technique allows tracking and recording of membrane activity, in real time, with high temporal and spatial resolution, enabling the study of on-line processing of cellular information following cellular stimulation of electrical or other signals.

Unitl now the application of this technique was not possible in Greece. The significant contribution of the Leventis Foundation as well as the vigorous involvement of IMBB researchers resulted in the establishement of this electrophysiological unit. On Thursday, 20 December 2007, a basic demonstration of the equipment of the "A.G. Leventis Electrophysiological Unit" as well as an introduction to the patch-clamp technique took place in IMBB.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Panayiota Poirazi
IMBB-FORTH Researcher C
poirazi@imbb.forth.gr

and Dr. Kyriaki Sidiropoulou
sidirop@imbb.forth.gr