Council Dates: October 2011 - May 2012
Independent Position: Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Dr. Ryan E. Hibbs was a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Eric Gouaux in the Vollum Institute at Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon. He studied conformational changes that underlie the transitions between different functional states in ligand-gated ion channels. His research focused on developing atomic-resolution models of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors relevant to structure-guided drug design. This work sought to provide structural templates for designing highly selective and innovative therapeutics useful for neurological diseases and disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and schizophrenia. He earned his Ph.D. in biomedical sciences (with a training focus in pharmacology) from the University of California - San Diego, California, and his B.A. in chemistry/biochemistry from Whitman College, Walla Walla, Washington. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Departments of Neuroscience (primary) and Biophysics (secondary) at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.