Dr. Catterall’s laboratory investigates the role of sodium channel dysfunction in inherited diseases. Using a genetic mouse model of Dravet Syndrome, Dr. Catterall’s lab found that selective loss-of-firing of GABAergic inhibitory neurons caused by loss-of-function of a specific sodium channel - Nav1.1 - is linked to epilepsy and premature death in this intractable form of childhood epilepsy. This work aims to define the fundamental mechanisms of sodium and calcium channel function at the atomic level; provide new understanding of the roles of these ion channels in synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory; and give key insights into the pathophysiology and novel approaches to treat Dravet Syndrome, a devastating childhood neuropsychiatric disorder.