Dr. Blount performs basic research at UT Southwestern that is aimed at determining how organisms detect mechanical force. This ability is required for the senses of touch, hearing and balance, as well as for determination of arterial pressures and osmotic gradients across cellular envelopes. Unfortunately, little is known of human mechanosensors, and studying these complex systems can be extremely difficult. Dr. Blount’s laboratory utilizes microbes and microbial sensors to explore the general functional principles of biological mechanosensors. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of this basic research, the interests of Dr. Blount and members of his laboratory range from microbial homeostasis to understanding the molecular mechanisms of ion channel gating.
