The research in Dr. Yu’s lab focuses on elucidating molecular mechanisms for the function of membrane signaling complexes in neuron. Membrane signaling complexes play fundamental roles in mediating signal transduction at synapses, transporting ions and small molecules across membrane and catalyzing enzymatic reactions in the central nervous system. Dysfunction of the membrane signaling complexes leads to a series of neurological disorders and majority of currently approved drugs target membrane proteins. We aim to understand how the signaling complexes work in their native or native-like environment in structural and biochemical terms and how neurological disease-related mutations remold function and how small molecules might be created to modulate function by employing cryo-electron microscopy, fluorescence microscopy and patch clamp electrophysiology methods.