Volodymyr Rybalchenko, Ph.D. - Faculty Profile

Biography

Universty of Texas Southwestern Medical Center , Dallas, TX 01/2009 – Present

- development of the original technique of mechanical immobilization of suspended isolated cultured skeletal myofibers and recording of the myofiber membrane potentials;
- biophysical characterization of the skeletal muscle disease model mutant Na+ channels NaV1.4;
- development of the original microfluidic perfusion technique for high-performance cut-open oocyte voltage clamp recordings;
- single-channel current recordings from the endoplasmic reticulum ionic channels incorporated in the planar lipid bilayer membranes (Dept. Physiology);
- discovery of the membrane ionic channel-forming properties of the C-terminus of the Bax Inhibitor-1 protein (bilayer-incorporated; Dept. Physiology).

Research Fellow, Molecular Physiology and Therapeutics Branch

National Institutes of Health / NIDCR, Bethesda, MD 07/2010 – 09/2012

- biophysical and pharmacological characterization of the intracellular endosomal/lysosomal cationic channels TPC1 incorporated in lipid bilayers;
- development of the original electrical recording technique from lipid bilayer membranes, with enhanced cis and trans chamber perfusion capabilities;
- Ussing chamber electrical recordings from the epithelial cell monolayers on solid supports.

Research Assistant Professor, Pharmacology and Neuroscience

University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 01/2004 – 12/2008

- discovery of the protein-protein regulation of the intracellular Ca2+ release ryanodine receptors (RyR) by presenilin protein N-terminus;
- discovery of the modulation of the RyR by estrogen receptor beta;
- electrophysiological recordings of the ionic currents produced by the ionic channels and by a single nuclear pore in mammalian cell nuclei using a nuclear envelope-attached patch-pipette.

Research Associate, Department of Surgery

Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven, CT 11/2000 – 01/2004

- discovery of a novel mechano-sensitive ion conductance in the baso-lateral membrane of the mammalian outer hair cells (OHC);
- discovery of the allosteric modulation of the OHC membrane motor protein prestin by multivalent anions and organic anions;
- recordings of the ultra-fast voltage-dependent motility and of a non-linear (“active”) membrane capacitance responses generated by the mammalian OHCs.

Instructor in Electrophysiology, Biology Department

University of Science and Technology - Lille 1, Lille, France 04/1999 – 07/2000

- discovery of the allosteric inhibition of the outwardly rectifying K+ channels by verapamil and by related phenylalkylamines in human prostate cancer LNCaP cell line;
- development of the equilibrium model of the ion channel double-inhibition by two channel blockers;
- development of the custom image-analysis software for the semi-automatic tracing of the coordinates of the migrating cells in the long-term cell cultures.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Louis Pasteur University, Institute of Physiology and Biological Chemistry, Strasbourg, France 03/1994 – 03/1999

- discovery of the low- and high-affinity activation of the AMPA(glut) receptors in spinal neurons;
- discovery of the multimodal GABA-A receptor activation by anxiolytic etifoxine in spinal neurons;
- patch-clamp recordings of the ACh, 5-HT3 and TRPV1 receptor-mediated currents in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons;
- patch-clamp study of the modulation of the K+ and Ca2+ channels in dorsal root ganglion neurons by the substance P ;
- development of the computer-operated mini-robotic version of the “concentration clamp” technique for ultra-fast application of the drugs to the isolated cells (15-20 compounds per cell).

Jr Research Scientist, Department of Biomedical Research

National Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry and Petrochemistry, Kiev, Ukraine 10/1987 – 02/1994

- patch-clamp study of the pharmacological properties of the structural molecule analogs of the glutamate/AMPA-receptor blocker APB;
- patch-clamp study of the kinetics properties of the AMPA(glut) receptors in the hippocampal neurons;
- development of the microfluidic pulsing jet for the high frequency (20 Hz) short term (5-10 ms) application of ligands to the isolated suspended patch-clamped neurons during electrical recordings.

Research Engineer

National Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology, Kiev, Ukraine 07/1984 – 09/1987

- U-tube patch-clamp study of the ion selectivity of the voltage-gated K+ channels in snail neurons;
- U-tube patch-clamp study of the temperature-depended conformations in K+ channels;
- biophysical modeling of the free-energy profile of the K+ channel voltage sensor transitions;
- development of the voltage/current clamp switch amplifier;
- development and fabrication of the custom precision micro-mechanics equipment for the electrophysiological patch-clamp recordings.

Education

Graduate School: Moscow Inst of Phys & Tech-Rus (1984), Physics Engineering
Graduate School: Moscow Inst of Phys & Tech-Rus (1994), Biological Sciences
Graduate School: (2017), Biology

Publications

Featured Publications

Disrupted coupling of gating charge displacement to Na+ current activation for DIIS4 mutations in hypokalemic periodic paralysis.: Mi W, Rybalchenko V, Cannon SC J. Gen. Physiol. 2014 Aug 144 2 137-45
Membrane potential regulates nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP) dependence of the pH- and Ca2+-sensitive organellar two-pore channel TPC1.: Rybalchenko V, Ahuja M, Coblentz J, Churamani D, Patel S, Kiselyov K, Muallem S J. Biol. Chem. 2012 Jun 287 24 20407-16
Leaky sodium channels from voltage sensor mutations in periodic paralysis, but not paramyotonia.: Francis DG, Rybalchenko V, Struyk A, Cannon SC Neurology 2011 May 76 19 1635-41
Anion control of voltage sensing by the motor protein prestin in outer hair cells.: Rybalchenko V, Santos-Sacchi J Biophys. J. 2008 Nov 95 9 4439-47
The N-terminus of presenilin-2 increases single channel activity of brain ryanodine receptors through direct protein-protein interaction.: Hayrapetyan V, Rybalchenko V, Rybalchenko N, Koulen P Cell Calcium 2008 Nov 44 5 507-18
The cytosolic N-terminus of presenilin-1 potentiates mouse ryanodine receptor single channel activity.: Rybalchenko V, Hwang SY, Rybalchenko N, Koulen P Int. J. Biochem. Cell Biol. 2008 40 1 84-97
Cl- flux through a non-selective, stretch-sensitive conductance influences the outer hair cell motor of the guinea-pig.: Rybalchenko V, Santos-Sacchi J J. Physiol. (Lond.) 2003 Mar 547 Pt 3 873-91
Verapamil inhibits proliferation of LNCaP human prostate cancer cells influencing K+ channel gating.: Rybalchenko V, Prevarskaya N, Van Coppenolle F, Legrand G, Lemonnier L, Le Bourhis X, Skryma R Mol. Pharmacol. 2001 Jun 59 6 1376-87
Modulation of GABAergic synaptic transmission by the non-benzodiazepine anxiolytic etifoxine.: Schlichter R, Rybalchenko V, Poisbeau P, Verleye M, Gillardin J Neuropharmacology 2000 Jul 39 9 1523-35
The intracellular Ca²? channels of membrane traffic.: Kiselyov KK, Ahuja M, Rybalchenko V, Patel S, Muallem S Channels (Austin) 2012 Sep-Oct 6 5 344-51

Honors & Awards

Intramural Seed Research Grant
University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, TX (2006)
Postdoctoral Research Service Fellowship
Eli Lilly Institute of France, Strasbourg, France (1996-1999)
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
Foundation for Medical Research of France (1995)
International Postdoctoral Trainee Fellowship
National Ministry of Education, Research and Technology of France (1994)
Engineering and Business in Canada, Canada/Ukraine Government Exchange Program
Ministry of Cultural and Scientific Affairs of Canada (1993)