Posted on October 23, 2026 by College of Sciences
#CollegeNews
#ResearchSpotlight: iHeart Proteins Lab
By Ryan Schoensee
Every cell in the human body is wrapped in a thin membrane made up of fatty molecules called lipids. Embedded in that membrane are proteins that act as sensors and doorways, and new research from the iHeart Proteins Lab at UT San Antonio shows that the lipids around them do more than keep things in place.
The lab's latest findings, published in Nature Communications, reveal that the amount of a particular lipid in the membrane can change how a protein behaves, and in two different ways.
Philipp Schmidpeter, PhD, assistant professor of biochemistry in the UT San Antonio Department of Chemistry, leads the lab. His team studies how membrane proteins interact with other parts of the cell and how those interactions change the proteins' shape and function.
For this study, the researchers focused on an ion channel, a protein that acts like a gate, controlling which charged particles move in and out of a cell. The ion channel the lab used is a well-established model for studying how membrane proteins respond to their surroundings, making it a useful system for testing how different types and amounts of lipids affect its activity.
They found that a lipid called phosphatidic acid influences the channel differently depending on the quantity present. At low concentrations, the lipid acts more like a key, interacting with the protein and changing its shape so the channel responds more readily when it's switched on. At high concentrations, the lipid has a broader effect, changing the surrounding membrane itself and increasing the channel's overall activity.
The results show that the concentration of lipids in a membrane can play an important role in regulating the proteins inside it. This may offer new insight into how cells control protein activity, which is important because membrane proteins play essential roles in processes ranging from sensing signals to moving molecules in and out of cells. Understanding how the membrane environment influences these proteins could ultimately help researchers better understand how cells respond to changes in their surroundings.
The researchers who authored the paper include:
Ashley Newton is a doctoral student earning her PhD in chemistry. She joined the iHeart Proteins Lab in fall 2023 during her first year of graduate school. Her research focuses on understanding how membrane-forming lipids regulate ion channels, with a particular interest in human transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, including the TRPC family and TRPV1. Her work examines how lipid environments influence the structure and function of these cellular sensors. After she graduates, Ashley plans to pursue a postdoctoral position to continue her scientific research.
Adefoluke Kuforiji graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemistry in spring 2025. Her research investigates how different conditions, such as the surrounding lipid environment, influences ion channel activity. Kuforiji is currently applying to medical school with the goal of becoming an OB-GYN. She hopes to remain involved in research throughout her medical training and future career.
Philipp Schmidpeter, PhD, joined UT San Antonio as an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry in 2023. His research focuses on understanding how membrane-forming phospholipids regulate ion channel function in health and disease. For this study, he led the project design, supervised experimental work, and guided the interpretation of the results.
Ashley Newton
Adefoluke Kuforiji
Philipp Schmidpeter
— College of Sciences
