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Michael Fill, PhD

Chairperson, Department of Physiology & Biophysics
The Francis N. and Catherine O. Bard Professor of Physiology, Department of Physiology & Biophysics, RUSH Medical College
Education

PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
MS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
BS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Research Areas

Ryanodine receptor calcium release channel, calcium signaling

Contact Info:

1750 W. Harrison St.
Suite 1291
Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: (312) 942-6467
Fax: (312) 942-8711
michael_fill@rush.edu
Links:
Biography

The research of Michael Fill, PhD, explores the local control of intracellular Ca signals mediated by the ryanodine receptor (RyR) Ca release channel in excitable cells. These control mechanisms are fundamental to many cellular phenomena and, thus, are often sites of pathological failure and potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

Our work

Dr. Fill’s laboratory at Rush University is internationally recognized for its world-class RyR experimental expertise. The Ca signals generated by RyRs are known to modulate a myriad of physiological functions. Our lab details clinically significant structure-function attributes of single RyR function in health and disease, including local RyR control by Ca, closely regulatory proteins and post-translational modifications. This provides a strong mechanistic foundation for our group’s ongoing work toward developing new RyR-targeted drugs that will hopefully be applied to limit/treat diseases exacerbated or caused by hyperactive RyR Ca signaling.

Honors and Activities
  • USPHS Pre-doctoral Trainee (1984, 1985, 1986, 1987)
  • MDA & NIH Postdoctoral Fellowships (1988, 1989, 1990)
  • Sealy Foundation Research Grant (1991-1993; 1 award)
  • Guest Pathophysiology Lecturer, Stanford University (“Malignant Hyperthermia”; 1993)
  • Ad Hoc Review, CONICYT, “Biophysical Subjects” CHILE (1994)
  • Awarded Tenure at University of Texas, Galveston TX (1994)
  • AHA Established Investigator (1994-1999; 1 award as P.I.)
  • Member, AHA Transport & Metabolism Grant Review Committee (1993-1994)
  • Member, AHA Cardiovascular Physiology Grant Review Committee (1994-1998)
  • Member Loyola Research Funding Committee (1996-2004)
  • Member NIH Study Section (Physiology; 1997)
  • Ad Hoc Review, International Human Frontiers of Science Program (2000)
  • Member NIH Study Section (MDCN-4; 1998-2003)
  • Ad Hoc Member NIH Study Section (SMEP; 2005)
  • Invited Speaker, Gordon Research Conference (1991-present; 99 times)
  • Session Organizer, Gordon Research Conference (1994, 2006)
  • Awarded Tenure at Loyola University Chicago, Maywood IL (1998)
  • NATO Research Workshop Speaker on “Intracellular Ca Signaling”, Il Ciocco, ITALY (2000)
  • Top Science Poster Award, Biophysical Society of Latin American (SOBLA), Alicante, SPAIN (2000)
  • Ad Hoc Review, MIUR grant program, ITALY (2002)
  • Advisory Committee Member, National Lab of Fluorescence Dynamics, Urbana, IL (2001-2002)
  • International Ca Signaling Workshop Organizer, Buenos Aries, ARGENTINA (2002)
  • International Symposium on Muscle Ca Signaling Speaker, Mexico City, MEXICO (2003)
  • International Workshop on Ca Signaling Speaker, Marbella, CHILE (2003)
  • Parent Committee Member, NIH SCCOR grant program for Cardiac Dysfunction (2004)
  • Awarded Tenure at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL (2005)
  • Ad Hoc reviewer NIH Study Section (NTRC, 2008-present)
  • Member Journal General Physiology Editorial Advisory Board (2009-present)
  • International Student Ca Signaling Workshop, Kyoto University, JAPAN (2011)
  • Symposium presentation at 17th International Biophysics Congress, Beijing, CHINA (2011)
  • International Fukuoka Muscle Research Colloquium, Fukuoka, JAPAN (2012)
  • Symposium on Calcium Handling, ITESM, Monterrey, MEXICO (2012)
  • Member NIH Director’s Early Independence DP5 Award Panel (2014)
  • Ad Hoc member NIH MOSS-C02 Study Section (2014)
  • Awarded the Francis & Catherine Bard Endowed Chair of Physiology (2015)
  • Chair of the NIH MOSS-V02 Study Section (2016)
Publications

Complete list of published work on PubMed

Complete list of published work on Scopus

High-profile works

Chen … Fill, et al. “RyR store-sensing gate controls C waves and C-triggered arrhythmias.” Nature Medicine. 20(2): 184-92, 2014.

Zhou … Fill, et al. “Carvedilol and its new analogs suppress arrhythmogenic … Ca release.” Nature Medicine. 10;17(8): 1003-9, 2011.

Fill and Copello. “RyR Ca release channels.” Physiological Reviews. 82(4): 893-922, 2002.

Minn … Fill, et al. “Bcl-xL regulates apoptosis by heterodimerization-dependent and -independent mechanisms.” EMBO Journal. 1;18(3): 632-43, 1999.

Minn, et al. and Fill. “Bcl-x(L) forms an ion channel in synthetic lipid membranes.” Nature. 23;385(6614): 353-7, 1997.

Cheng, Fill et al. “Models of Ca release channel adaptation.”Science. 267(5206): 2009-10, 1995.

Györke and Fill. “Ryanodine receptor adaptation: control mechanism of Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release in heart.” Science. 7;260(5109): 807-9, 1993. 

Ma, Fill et al. “Ryanodine receptor of skeletal muscle is a gap junction-type channel.” Science. 7;242(4875): 99-102, 1988.

 

Grants
Current grants
Past grants
  • NIH R01-HL075210: “Molecular Basis and Treatment of Cardiac Arrhythmias.” Co-investigator: Michael Fill
  • NIH R01-HL071741: “Local Intracellular Calcium Release in Neonate Heart.” Co-investigator: Michael Fill
  • AHA SDG: “RyR Heterogeneity in Striated Muscle.” Co-investigator: Michael Fill
  • MDA Grant: “Coordinated Gating of Ryanodine Receptor Channels.” Co-investigator: Michael Fill
  • NIH R01-HL64210: “Regulation of Single Ca Release Channels in Heart.” Principal investigator: Michael Fill
  • NIH R01-MH53367: “Molecular Analysis of InsP3R Structure Function.” Co-investigator: Michael Fill
  • NIH R01-HL58851: “Isoform Specific Function of InsP3R Receptor Channels.” Co-investigator: Michael Fill
  • AHA Grant: “Development of Cardiac E-C Coupling.” Co-investigator: Michael Fill
  • AHA Established Investigatorship: “Regulation of SR Ca Release.” Principal investigator: Michael Fill
  • MDA Grant: “Ca Control of SR Ca Release.” Co-investigator: Michael Fill