The paper identifies MDFIC2 as a PIEZO channel auxiliary subunit specifically expressed in mechanosensitive neurons and shows it modulates PIEZO1/2 mechanosensitivity and inactivation kinetics.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · Apr 9, 2026Peer-reviewedBiophysics

TMEM63 proteins act as mechanically-activated cholesterol modulated lipid scramblases contributing to membrane mechano-resilience

Yiechang Lin, Zijing Zhou, Yaoyao Han, Delfine Cheng, Haoqing Jerry Wang, Lining Arnold Ju, Yixiao Zhang, Charles David Cox, Ben Corry

The paper shows TMEM63 proteins function as mechanically activated lipid scramblases, modulated by cholesterol, contributing to membrane resilience.

Nature Communications · Jan 30, 2026Peer-reviewedBiophysics

Deletion of PIEZO1 in adult cardiomyocytes accelerates cardiac aging and causes premature death

Ze‐Yan Yu, Yang Guo, Scott H. Kesteven, Delfine Cheng, Hanzhou Lei, Jianxin Wu, Evelyn Israel Nadar, Peter Simon Macdonald, Munira Xaymardan, Charles David Cox, Michael Patrick Feneley, Boris Martinac

This study shows that deleting PIEZO1 in adult cardiomyocytes leads to accelerated cardiac aging and premature death in mice.

bioRxiv · Jan 20, 2025 · PreprintBiophysics

Conserved Role of the Large Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel, KCa1.1, in Sinus Node Function and Arrhythmia Risk

Santiago Balza Pineda, Vesna Nikolova-Krstevski, Christiana Leimena, Andrew J. Atkinson, Ann-Kristin Alteköester, Charles David Cox, Arie S. Jacoby, Inken G. Huttner, Yue‐Kun Ju, Magdalena J. Soka, Monique Ohanian, Gunjan Trivedi, Sreehari Kalvakuri, Katja Birker, Renée Johnson, , Diane Fatkin

The paper investigates the role of KCa1.1 in sinus node function and arrhythmia risk across species, finding conserved effects of its loss of function.

Circulation Genomic and Precision Medicine · Feb 25, 2021Peer-reviewedGenetics