Wassim Elkhatib

Dr. Wassim Elkhatib is an electrophysiologist and structural biologist focused on ion channel physiology, gating mechanisms, and protein interactions. He earned his PhD in Cell and Systems Biology from the University of Toronto under Dr. Adriano Senatore, where he explored the evolution and function of Degenerin/Epithelial Sodium channels (DEG/ENaCs) across animals. His research employed electrophysiology, structural, and phylogenetic analysis to characterize novel proton sensitive DEG/ENaC homologues in an organism lacking a nervous system.

During his PhD, Wassim developed a keen interest in the structural mechanisms underlying ion channel gating and modulation by other protein. Now a postdoctoral fellow in the Van Petegem lab at the University of British Columbia, he investigates the architecture of protein complexes formed by voltage-gated calcium channels that contribute to neuronal membrane junctions. Utilizing X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), and patch-clamp electrophysiology, his work aims to advance our understanding of the molecular foundations of neuronal diseases associated with membrane junctions and calcium regulation.