Selected publications from the lab are listed below. Complete lists of publications by each lab member can be found in their entry in the people section.


Bhattacharya M.R. et al. (2008) Radial stretch reveals distinct populations of mechanosensitive mammalian somatosensory neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 105: 20015-20.

Bautista et al. (2008) Pungent agents from Szechuan peppers excite sensory neurons by inhibiting two-pore potassium channels. Nat Neurosci.11: 772-9.

Myers B.R., Bohlen C.J., and Julius D. (2008) A yeast genetic screen reveals a critical role for the pore helix domain in TRP channel gating. Neuron 58: 362-73.

Meyers B. and Julius D. (2007) TRP channel structural biology: new roles for an old fold. Neuron 54: 847-50.

Bautista et al. (2007) The menthol receptor TRPM8 is the principal detector of environmental cold. Nature 448: 204-8.

Bautista et al. (2006) TRPA1 mediates the inflammatory action of environmental irritants and pro-algesic agents. Cell 124: 1269-1282.

Tsuruda, P.R., Julius, D., and Minor, D.L. (2006) Coiled-coils direct assembly of a cold-activated TRP channel. Neuron 51: 201-212.

Siemens J. et al. (2006) Spider toxins activate the capsaicin receptor to produce inflammatory pain. Nature 444: 208-212.

Haynes, S.E. et al. (2006) The P2Y12 receptor regulates microglial activation by extracellular nucleotides. Nature Neurosci. 9: 1512-1519.

Hinman A. et al. (2006) TRP channel activation by reversible covalent modification. Proc Natl Acad Sci 103: 19564-19568.

Bautista, DM, et al (2005) Pungent products from garlic activate the sensory ion channel TRPA1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 102(34):12248-52.

Chuang, H., Neuhausser, W.M., Julius, D. (2004) The super-cooling agent icilin reveals a mechanism of coincidence detection by a temperature-sensitive TRP channel. Neuron 43:859-69.

Jordt, SE, Bautista, DM, Chuang, H, McKemy, DD, Zygmunt, PM, Högestätt, ED, Meng, ID, and Julius, D. (2004) Mustard oils and cannabinoids excite sensory nerve fibres through the TRP channel ANKTM1. Nature 427: 260-265.

Jordt SE, McKemy DD, Julius D. (2003) Lessons from peppers and peppermint: the molecular logic of thermosensation. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 13: 487-492.

Prescott, E.D. and Julius, D. (2003) A modular PIP2 binding site as a determinant of capsaicin receptor sensitivity. Science 300: 1284-1288.

Jordt, S-E. and Julius, D. (2002) Molecular basis of species-specific sensitivity to "hot" chili peppers. Cell 108: 421-430.

McKemy, D.D., Neuhausser, W.M., and Julius, D. (2002) Identification of a cold receptor reveals a general role for TRP channels in thermosensation. Nature 416:52-59

Zeitz, K.P., Guy, N., Malmberg, A.B., Dirajlal, S., Martin, W.J., Sun, L., Bonhaus, D.W., Stucky, C.L., Julius, D. and Basbaum, A.I. (2002) The 5-HT3 subtype of serotonin receptor contributes to nociceptive processing via a novel subset of myelinated and unmyelinated nociceptors. J. Neurosci. 22: 1010-1019.

Hollopeter. G., Jantzen, H-M., Vincent, D., Li, G., England, L., Ramakrishnan, V., Yang, R-B., Nurden, P., Nurden, A., Julius, D. and Conley, P.B., (2001) Molecular identification of the platelet ADP receptor targeted by antithrombotic drugs. Nature 409: 202-207.

Chuang, H., Prescott, E.D., Kong, H., Shields, S., Jordt, S.E., Basbaum, A.I., Chao, M.V., and Julius, D. (2001) Bradykinin and nerve growth factor release the capsaicin receptor from PtdIns(4,5)P2-mediated inhibition. Nature 411: 957-962.

Julius D, Basbaum AI. Molecular mechanisms of nociception. Nature. 2001 Sep 13;413(6852):203-10.

Jordt SE, Tominaga M, Julius D. Acid potentiation of the capsaicin receptor determined by a key extracellular site. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000 Jul 5;97(14):8134-9.

Caterina MJ, Leffler A, Malmberg AB, Martin WJ, Trafton J, Petersen-Zeitz KR, Koltzenburg M, Basbaum AI, Julius D. Impaired nociception and pain sensation in mice lacking the capsaicin receptor. Science. 2000 Apr 14;288(5464):306-13.


Zygmunt PM, Petersson J, Andersson DA, Chuang H, Sorgard M, Di Marzo V, Julius D, Hogestatt ED. Vanilloid receptors on sensory nerves mediate the vasodilator action of anandamide. Nature. 1999 Jul 29;400(6743):452-7.

Caterina MJ, Rosen TA, Tominaga M, Brake AJ, Julius D. A capsaicin-receptor homologue with a high threshold for noxious heat. Nature. 1999 Apr 1;398(6726):436-41.

Tominaga M, Caterina MJ, Malmberg AB, Rosen TA, Gilbert H, Skinner K, Raumann BE, Basbaum AI, Julius D. The cloned capsaicin receptor integrates multiple pain-producing stimuli. Neuron. 1998 Sep;21(3):531-43.


England, L.E., Imperial, J., Jacobsen, R., Craig, A.G., Gulyas, J., Akhtar, M., Rivier, J., Julius, D., and Olivera, B. (1998) Inactivation of a serotonin-gated ion channel by a novel polypeptide toxin from marine snails. Science 281: 575-578.

Caterina MJ, Schumacher MA, Tominaga M, Rosen TA, Levine JD, Julius D. The capsaicin receptor: a heat-activated ion channel in the pain pathway. Nature. 1997 Oct 23;389(6653):816-24.