▁defining ▁the ▁phys i ological ▁roles ▁that ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁gen es ▁play ▁in ▁v ivo , ▁whose ▁functions ▁are ▁known ▁to ▁be ▁critical ▁for ▁reg ulation ▁of ▁int rac ell ular ▁calci um ▁dynamics . ▁ ▁Shin ▁first ▁generates ▁a ▁trans gen ic ▁mouse ▁for ▁a ▁given ▁gene , ▁and ▁then ▁analy zes ▁the ▁mouse ▁at ▁the ▁mole cular , ▁cell ular , ▁phys i ological , ▁and ▁behavior al ▁levels . ▁Shin ▁has ▁been ▁particularly ▁interested ▁in ▁defining ▁the ▁functions ▁of ▁voltage ▁g ated ▁calci um ▁channels ▁in ▁normal ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁path ological ▁states ▁of ▁the ▁brain . ▁ ▁In ▁particular , ▁his ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁mut ant ▁mouse ▁for ▁a 1 G ▁T - type ▁calci um ▁channels ▁has ▁provided ▁conclus ive ▁evidence ▁that ▁T - type ▁channels ▁in ▁the ▁th al am us ▁of ▁the ▁brain ▁function ▁to ▁block ▁sens ory ▁information ▁derived ▁from ▁the ▁body ▁to ▁be ▁delivered ▁to ▁the ▁c ere br al ▁cor tex . ▁The ▁th al am us ▁is ▁the ▁gateway ▁through ▁which ▁all ▁the ▁som atic ▁sens ory ▁information ▁from ▁the ▁peri ph ery ▁must ▁pass ▁through ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁c ere br al ▁cor tex , ▁where ▁per ception ▁is ▁achieved . ▁Thus , ▁the ▁T - type ▁channel ▁mut ant ▁mouse ▁lack ing ▁this ▁block ▁showed ▁an ▁en hanced ▁response ▁to ▁vis cer al ▁pain . ▁ ▁Shin ▁has ▁also ▁shown ▁that ▁the ▁same ▁mut ant ▁mouse ▁was ▁resist ant ▁to ▁absence ▁ep ile ps y , ▁a ▁disease ▁character