Short presentation

Research Focus

Using a combination of electrophysiology, synthetic amino acids, protein engineering and spectroscopic approaches, we focus on the function and pharmacology of a therapeutically relevant class of membrane proteins called ion channels. For further details see www.theplesslab.com

Academic Positions

2014-present    Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Education

2008-2013          Postdoc, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

2005-2008          PhD, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

1998-2004          Graduate degree (diploma), University of Hamburg, Germany

Selected Publications:

Lynagh, T. (...) Pless, S.A.; “Acid-sensing ion channels emerged over 600 MYA and are conserved throughout the deuterostomes”; PNAS, 2018, 115(33):8430-8435

Wulf, M. & Pless, S.A.; "High-sensitivity fluorometry to resolve ion channel conformational dynamics"; Cell Reports, 2018, 22(6):1615-1626

Kim, R.Y., et al.; “PIP2 mediates functional coupling and pharmacology of neuronal KCNQ channels”; Proc Nat Acad Sci (PNAS), 2017, 114(45):E9702-E9711

Lynagh, T. (...) Pless, S.A.; “A selectivity filter at the intracellular end of the acid-sensing ion channel pore”; eLife, 2017, 6. pii: e24630. doi: 10.7554/eLife.24630

Kim, R.Y. & Yau, M.C. et al.; “Atomic basis for therapeutic activation of neuronal potassium channels”; Nature Communications, 2015, 6:8116. doi: 10.1038/ncomms9116

Pless, S.A. et al.; “Hydrogen bonds as molecular timers for slow inactivation in voltage-gated potassium channels”, eLife, 2013, 2:e01289. doi: 10.7554/eLife.01289

Pless, S.A. et al.; “A novel mechanism for fine-tuning open state stability in a voltage-gated potassium channel”; Nature Communications, 2013, 4:1784. doi: 10.1038/ncomms2761

Pless, S.A. et al.; “Contributions of counter charge in a potassium channel voltage sensor”; cover article in Nature Chemical Biology, 2011, 7(9):617-23

Pless, S.A. et al.; “Molecular basis for inhibition of cardiac sodium channels by class Ib anti-arrhythmic drugs”; Nature Communications, 2011, 2:351. doi: 10.1038/ncomms1351

Selected Fellowships

2018-2021          DFF Sapere Aude Starting Grant

2017-2020          Carlsberg Foundation Distinguished Assoc. Prof. Fellowship

2013-2018          Lundbeck Foundation Fellowship

2011-2013          Michael Smith Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

2011-2013          Banting Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

2009-2011          Heart & Stroke Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

2005-2008          University of Queensland International Postgraduate Scholarship

2005-2008          University of Queensland Ernest Singer Scholarship