Göttingen Graduate Center for Neurosciences, Biophysics, and Molecular Biosciences

Pardo, Luis A., Prof. Dr.

Group Leader, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences


  • 1986 M.D., University of Oviedo, Spain
  • 1990 Ph.D. University of Oviedo, Spain
  • 1991-1993 Postdoctoral fellow, Max-Planck Institute of Biophysical Chemistry
  • 1994-1996 Researcher, University of Oviedo, Spain
  • 1997-2000 Senior researcher, Max-Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine
  • 2001-2003 Chief Scientific Officer, iOnGen AG
  • since 2004 group leader at the Max-Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine
  • since 2008 Max-Planck Research Group Leader
  • since 2011, Appl. Professor, University Medical Center Göttingen



Major Research Interests

Our research interest focuses on the role of ion channels in the initiation and progression of tumors. For this, we take advantage of the knowledge of the physiology and molecular biology of channels and use electrophysiological techniques along with advanced microscopy, protein engineering and animal models. Most of our work has been on a particular potassium channel frequently expressed (75%) in human tumors. We try to take advantage of the particular features of ion channels (for example, their surface expression) to design novel diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
We also try to understand the mechanisms underlying the role of ion channels in tumors, regarding both permeation properties as well as non-canonical functions.


Homepage Department/Research Group

https://www.mpinat.mpg.de/de/pardo



Selected Recent Publications

  • Sánchez A, Urrego D, Pardo LA. (2016) Cyclic expression of the voltage-gated potassium channel KV10.1 promotes disassembly of the primary cilium. EMBO Rep. 2016 May;17(5):708-23. doi: 10.15252/embr.201541082. Epub 2016 Apr 20.
  • Urrego D, Movsisyan N, Ufartes R, Pardo LA. (2016) Periodic expression of Kv10.1 driven by pRb/E2F1 contributes to G2/M progression of cancer and non-transformed cells. Cell Cycle. 2016 Mar 18;15(6):799-811. doi: 10.1080/15384101.2016.1138187.
  • Mortensen LS, Schmidt H, Farsi Z, Barrantes-Freer A, Rubio ME, Ufartes R, Eilers J, Sakaba T, Stuehmer W, Pardo LA (2015) K(V)10.1 opposes activity-dependent increase in Ca2+ influx into the presynaptic terminal of the parallel fibre-Purkinje cell synapse. Journal of Physiology-London 593: 181-196
  • Lörinczi É, Gómez-Posada JC, de la Peña P, Tomczak AP, Fernández-Trillo J, Leipscher U, Stühmer W, Barros F, Pardo LA (2015) Voltage-dependent gating of KCNH potassium channels lacking a covalent link between voltage-sensing and pore domains. Nat Commun 6
  • Pardo LA, Stühmer W (2014) The roles of K+ channels in cancer. Nat Rev Cancer 14: 39-48
  • Tomczak, A.P., Fernández-Trillo, J., Bharill, S., Papp, F., Panyi, G., Stühmer, W., Isacoff, E.Y., and Pardo, L.A. (2017). A new mechanism of voltage-dependent gating exposed by Kv10.1 channels interrupted between voltage sensor and pore. J Gen Physiol 149, 577-593