Theodore R. Cummins, PhD

• Review the current knowledge regarding the roles of sodium, calcium and potassium ion channels in pain signaling.
• Discuss the recent insights that have been gained from studying inherited pain syndromes.
• Review the advantages and disadvantages of available drugs and describe new compounds in clinical trials that target these channels.

• Review the mechanisms of action of insecticides, cancer chemotherapeutics and biological toxins that induce pain and paresthesias.
• Discuss the promise that biological toxins provide in the pursuit of developing targeted sodium channel therapies for pain management.