Sarah K. England, Ph.D.
        Professor
        Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Office: Lab: Phone: Lab: FAX: Email:

6-432 Bowen Science Building 6-555 Bowen Science Building (319) 335-7860 (319) 335-7861 (319) 335-7330 sarah-england@uiowa.edu

Research Interests

My long-term research interest lies in the role of ion channels in smooth muscle as they pertain to women’s health. The main objective of my laboratory is to determine the role of ion channels in modulating uterine and vascular smooth muscle excitability and contractility. One focus of the laboratory is to determine how both small and large conductance calcium-activated K+ channels modulate uterine excitability and contractility during gestation and parturition in human and mouse models. We study these questions with multidisciplinary approaches including molecular, biochemical, electrophysiological, pharmacological, and immunological techniques.

I am also interested in the trafficking of these channels and how their association with accessory proteins regulates uterine excitability in both non-pregnant and pregnant states. We also study how channels behave in the vascular system in response to hormonal challenges. Research aimed at smooth muscle relaxation will have a wide range of benefits including alleviation of uterine dysfunction that results in premature labor and enhanced relaxation of vascular smooth muscle.

Selected Publications

1. Brainard, A.M., A.J. Miller, J.R. Martens, and S.K. England (2005) Maxi-K channels localize to caveolae in human myometrium: A role for an actin -channel- caveolin complex in the regulation of myometrial smooth muscle K+ current Am. J. Physiol., 289: C49-C57.

2. Korovkina, V.P., A.M. Brainard, and S.K. England (2006) Translocation of an endoproteolytically cleaved maxi-K channel isoform: mechanisms to induce human myometrial cell repolarization. J. Physiol, 573 (2) 329-341.

3. Brainard, A.M., V.P. Korovkina, and S.K. England (2007) Potassium channels and uterine function Sem. Cell and Develop. Biol. 18 (3): 332-339.

4. Nuno, D.W., V.P. Korovkina, S.K. England, and K.G. Lamping (2007) RhoA activation contributes to sex differences in vascular contraction. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 27: 1934-1940.

5. Pierce, S. L., J.D.K. Kresowik, K.G. Lamping, and S.K. England (2008) Overexpression of SK3 channels dampens uterine contractility to prevent preterm labor in mice. Biol. Reprod. 78 1058-1063.