Douglas Raines, MD

Position

Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School

Clinical Specialty

Liver Transplantation Anesthesia, Neuroanesthesia, Vascular Anesthesia

Professional Activities

My research is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms of anesthetic action on ligand-gated ion channels. General anesthetics are administered to more than 25 million patients in the U.S each year, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not understood. Cys-loop ligand-gated ion channels such as the GABAA, 5-HT3, glycine, and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors form a superfamily of anesthetic-sensitive receptors that are thought to play important roles in mediating the desirable clinical actions and undesirable side-effects of general anesthetics. NMDA receptors are glutamatergic ligand-gated ion channels that are also important targets of general anesthetics

My laboratory uses electrophysiological techniques to define the actions of general anesthetics on ligand-gated ion channels. Our recent focus has been on 5-HT3 and NMDA receptors. By applying electrophysiological techniques with very rapid solution exchange, we are measuring 5-HT3 receptor activation, deactivation, and desensitization rates and then using computer kinetic modeling to understand how these receptors work and what anesthetics do.

Medical Training

University of Virginia, MD

Publications

View Publications

Related Links

Pharmacology of Anesthesia Research
Keith Miller
Stuart Forman
Paul Davies
Edmond Eger at UCSF

Contact Information

Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine
55 Fruit Street
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-724-0343