Research pursued in the Kostenis lab deals with G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), the largest family of membrane proteins in the human genome, and their associated signaling circuitries in health and disease. We are particularly interested in the molecular mechanisms GPCRs utilize to engage with their downstream effectors, heterotrimeric G proteins and arrestins, and attempt to elucidate the cellular consequences originating thereform. Essential to this endeavor is access to CRISPR-Cas9-based genome editing as well pharmacological tools to specifically disrupt the function of individual GPCRs and/or their signal transducing effectors. With our cellular manipulations we aim to unravel general principles and basic mechanisms underlying GPCR and G protein function, and how these can be translated to and exploited for development of innovative therapies.