Page 31 - CBAC Newsletter 2017

I :n her own words Smiruthi Ramasubramanian, Ph.D. Student

I am a 7th year Ph.D. student in Dr. Yoram Rudy’s lab.
Protein structural movement at the atomistic level is
stochastic and yet at the macroscopic level where you
observe many proteins, their measured function shows
distinct characteristics. My primary project is to design
a protocol for simulating protein structural movements
that result in experimentally measured physiological
function. In particular, I study the protein responsible for
the human ventricular IKs current (a slow delayed rectifier
K+ current).

Department of Biomedical Engineering Using the aforementioned methodology, we have been
Yoram Rudy Laboratory able to predict the protein’s functional changes that
would result from ligand binding, secondary protein
Cardiac Excitation & Arrhythmias subunit modulation and even cardiac pacing. In essence,
we are now able to translate the structural movement of
proteins from the atomistic level to microscopic (single
channel) and macroscopic function. In the past,
super-computers were employed for this very purpose.
We had to be innovative and borrow artificial intelligence
algorithms to bypass this major hardware constraint.
Now, anyone with access to a computer can study
protein structure-function correlation!

At a glance In my younger days, I was a trained Bharathnatiyam
Education: dancer (classical South Indian dance), professional
• 2008 B.S., Biomedical Engineering table-tennis player (Nationally Ranked), and even
dabbled in Thanjaur painting (an antiquated form of
Texas A&M creating paintings using semi-precious stones with gold
• x '18 Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering inlays). I was kept busy with sports and arts so that I
wouldn’t have the time or energy to do what I do best.
Washington University in St. Louis Tinker.
Research Interests:
Design a protocol for simulating protein At age 7, I took apart a VCR player because I wanted to
structural movements see how it worked. As I grew older, it progressed from
small items like clock-radios to finally a mammoth sized
television. The next day, I was enrolled in my first ping-
pong class; primarily to keep from electrocuting myself.
My parents encouraged my curiosity and tried to channel
it towards intellectual prospects but it was my brother
who removed any doubts about my approach. He once
told me after I destroyed his computer’s operating
system, “anything you break… I can fix.” Thanks to him, I
will be the first Ph.D. in my family.

CBAC Center Heartbea | 26