Transporter We Study

Membrane transporters play a central role in the distribution and disposition of endogenous compounds, nutrients, metabolites, hormones, neurotransmitters, and therapeutic agents throughout the body. In particular, members of the Solute Carrier (SLC) and ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) transporter families regulate the movement of molecules across biological membranes and therefore influence both physiology and pharmacotherapy.

Our research focuses on understanding transporter function and exploiting these transport systems for targeted drug delivery. We investigate how transporters can be utilized to enhance drug delivery to specific organs, cell types, and intracellular organelles, as well as how modulation of transporter expression and function can improve therapeutic efficacy and safety.

Currently, our research encompasses the following transporter families and molecular targets:

• L-Type Amino Acid Transporter 1 (LAT1)
• Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptides (OATPs)
• Sodium-dependent Neutral Amino Acid Transporters (SNATs)
• Sodium-dependent Multivitamin Transporter (SMVT)
• Sodium/Glucose Cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) 
• Cationic Amino Acid Transporter 1 (CAT1) 
• Monocarboxylate Transporter 1 (MCT1) 

In addition to membrane transporters, we investigate selected molecular targets involved in disease mechanisms and therapeutic development. 

Read more from out webpages: https://sites.uef.fi/drug-targeting/