Molecular and metabolic mechanisms underlying mitochondrial dysfunction

Background: Mitochondria are unique and complex organelles that perform essential functions in many aspects of cell biology. Once considered to be mere sites of ATP generation, it is now evident that these organelles participate in a wide range of cellular processes including calcium homeostasis, apoptosis, redox balance, or cell fate. Because of this multifaceted contribution of mitochondria to key biological and metabolic pathways, it is not surprising that mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to many human disorders including neurodegeneration, diabetes, cancer, or aging. The Balsa laboratory seeks to understand the basic molecular components that regulate mitochondrial function and integrate this knowledge in the context of human physiology and disease.

Lab interest: We are currently exploring two central areas. First, we aim to elucidate the molecular mechanisms whereby mitochondrial dysfunction compromises cellular fitness and leads to organ failure in the context of human diseases. Second, we focus on understanding how cancer cells adapt to unfavoured tumour microenvironments by rewiring their mitochondrial metabolism to enable tumour growth and survival.