Ardem Patapoutian

PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 are mechanically activated ion channels that open when the cell membrane is stretched or deformed, allowing ions to flow into the cell. Patapoutian's team identified these proteins at Scripps Research by systematically screening genes until they found ones whose removal eliminated cells' ability to respond to pressure. PIEZO2 is critical for touch sensation and proprioception, while PIEZO1 plays roles in blood pressure regulation and red blood cell volume.

Mice lacking PIEZO2 lost their sense of gentle touch and proprioception—the ability to sense body position and movement—demonstrating the channel's essential role in mechanosensation. Studies in humans with rare PIEZO2 mutations have confirmed similar deficits, showing affected individuals rely on vision to compensate for impaired touch and limb awareness.

Patapoutian is a professor in the Dorris Neuroscience Center at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. He has been at Scripps since 2000, where his lab has identified multiple mechanosensitive ion channels in addition to the PIEZO family.

Yes, Patapoutian shared the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with David Julius of UCSF. Julius was recognized for discovering temperature-sensitive TRP channels like TRPV1, while Patapoutian was honored for identifying the PIEZO mechanosensitive channels that mediate touch and proprioception.