Francisco Bezanilla

Bezanilla's work in the area of ion channels and electrical excitability has contributed enormously to understanding of ion-channel selectivity, permeation, and gating. His measurements of ion channels' gating currents and his first mechanistic hypothesis of K+ selectivity have elucidated structure-function correlations regarding voltage sensing and channel opening, and defined the major states of voltage sensors. He has also helped develop novel techniques and instrumentation that advanced the field and are still in extensive use, including site-directed voltage clamp fluorimetry, high-bandwidth data acquisition, and gene-independent approaches to light-driven neuronal activation.