University of California-San Diego · BiologyHibbs Lab
Ryan E Hibbs · La Jolla, California
Research Focus
Ryan E Hibbs' lab at UC San Diego focuses on understanding the structure and function of important neurotransmitter receptors that are linked to various diseases. Their research explores how nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and GABAA receptors operate in healthy conditions and how they are affected by autoimmune diseases and drug interactions. By using advanced techniques like cryo-electron microscopy and electrophysiology, the lab aims to uncover the fundamental mechanisms behind these receptors to improve treatments for disorders such as myasthenia gravis and epilepsy.
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptorsGABAA receptorsautoimmune diseasesstructural biologyneurotransmissionneurological disordersdrug interactionscryogenic electron microscopyelectrophysiology
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the structural mechanisms of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in health and disease.
AIM 02Elucidate the role of autoimmune antibodies in receptor-mediated diseases.
AIM 03Determine the high-resolution structures of GABAA receptors and their interactions with drugs.
AIM 04Understand the native subunit compositions of neuronal nicotinic receptors in the brain.
AIM 05Explore the mechanisms of action for therapeutic modulators of GABAA receptors.
Skills the Lab Values
Cryo-electron microscopyElectrophysiologyStructural biology techniquesMolecular dynamics simulationProtein purificationCell cultureAntibody engineeringFunctional assaysReceptor binding studies
Output against the department
Publications249top 24% of dept.250th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations5.7kbottom 42% of dept.600th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.