Shmuel Muallem, PhD

Senior Investigator
Chief, Epithelial Signaling and Transport Section
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
National Institutes of Health/ NIDCR
Bethesda, MD, USA

• Prof. Muallem is Senior Investigator and Chief in the EpithelialSignaling and Transport Section at NIH/NIDCR. He is Editor in Chief of Cell Calcium, a member of the advisoryboard of The EMBO Journal and aneditorial board member for MESSENGER.Prof. Muallem is honorary professor at Yonsei University Dental School inSeoul, Korea and at Zunyi Medical University, China.
   Professor Muallem is engaged in the study of epithelialtransport, especially in the area of exocrine physiology and theregulation of enzymes, fluid and electrolyte secretion by epithelial cells.With his colleagues he studies calcium (Ca2+) signaling in pancreatic andsalivary gland acinar and duct cells that secrete fluid and digestive enzymes.In particular they focus on the gating mechanism governing the opening andclosing of the plasma membrane and lysosomal Ca2+ influx channels and theirrole in inflammatory autoimmune diseases such as acute pancreatitis that canlead to multisystem failure and Sjögren's syndrome, a disorder that affects thesalivary and tear glands. They are also investigating bicarbonate (HCO3-)transporters in ductal fluid and HCO3- secretion, which is vital for thefunction and health of all secretory glands  Prof. Muallem’s important recent findings include fundamentalaspects of epithelial Ca ²⁺ signaling in health and disease, inparticular the role of Ca ²⁺ influx channels in cell function and whenaberrant in disease states, and the role of pancreatic antimicrobials in gutinnate immunity.  
• His group also reported the use of CFTR correctors to treat secretory glands autoimmune diseases such as acute pancreatitis and Sjögren’s syndrome.”