Debora A. Nicoll
Papers
2
Total Citations
151
H-Index
2
About
Debora A. Nicoll is a prominent molecular biologist and structural biochemist whose research has made significant contributions to our understanding of cardiac calcium regulation, particularly through her work on the Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger (NCX1.1). Her investigations have illuminated the fundamental mechanisms by which intracellular calcium levels are controlled in cardiac myocytes — a process critical to normal heart function and implicated in cardiac disease. Nicoll's most celebrated contribution, cited over 120 times, revealed the crystal structure of CBD1, the primary calcium-sensing domain of the Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger, uncovering a previously unknown calcium-binding motif. This structural breakthrough provided the field with a molecular framework for understanding how calcium regulates transport activity at the cellular level. Building on this work, her 2009 structural and functional analysis of a CBD1 mutant further dissected the regulatory interplay between the exchanger's two intracellular domains, CBD1 and CBD2, deepening mechanistic insight into cardiac calcium efflux. Through rigorous structural biology and functional analysis, Nicoll has helped establish a molecular foundation for understanding heart physiology, making her work an essential reference for researchers studying ion transport, cardiac function, and potential therapeutic targets in cardiovascular disease.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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