MEMBERS

Paulina Wanrooij

Principal investigator
_{^{PhD, Karolinska institute (sweden)}}

Michael Gorospe

POstdoctoral fellow
_{^{phd, inha university (s. korea)}}

The mitochondria and nucleus maintains cellular homeostasis by constantly sending in and out signals with each other through the process called mito-nuclear communication. In my study, I am trying to connect details on how the mitochondrion informs the nucleus that mitochondrial DNA is damaged. Using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, I am to discover the signal that the mitochondria release during mtDNA assault and which pathways relay this information to the nucleus.

Bruno Marçal Repolês

POStdoctoral fellow
PHD, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (BRaZIL)

Mitochondrial DNA metabolism and damage response present distinct features in comparison with nuclear DNA metabolism. My main interest is to investigate which DNA repair factors could be involved in mtDNA maintenance in human cells. In my study, I am interested in the differences in responses that arise from the damage to the mitochondrial DNA or to the nuclear DNA, and how those affect the cell.

Katarzyna Niedzwiecka

postdoctoral fellow
PHD, polish academy of science (poland)

I try to decipher the signaling pathway by which the mitochondria inform the nucleus that they were loosing – or had lost – their mitochondrial DNA. I am starting my research in Saccharomyces cerevisiae model and I am going to continue it in cell cultures as well. I am also involved in a project investigating the role that topoisomerase plays in the mitochondria.

Isabela Mendes

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
PHD, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE MINAS GERAIS (BRAZIL)

Mitochondria are involved in a plethora of biological processes, from cellular homeostasis and energy production to cell death and immune response. The release of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) into cytosol can trigger inflammatory pathways, with consequences for health and disease.  My interest is to study the factors implicated in mtDNA release, resulting from mtDNA instability and damage.

Cyrielle Bader

PHD student
masters, la rochelle university (france)

Mutations in genes encoding components of the mitochondria DNA replication machinery may cause defects in mtDNA maintenance. Furthermore, mutations in the mitochondrial single-stranded DNA-binding protein (mtSSB) have been shown to decrease mtDNA stability and mtDNA copy number.
 
 My goal is to study the effect of cancer mutations in mtSSB in vitro and on the maintenance of mtDNA. Biochemistry assays are conducted on recombinant mtSSB variants.

Alicia Herrera Curbelo

Internship student
Bachelor, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (SPAIN)

How mitochondria communicates with the nucleus is still unclear; together with my colleagues I try to identify different signaling molecules involved in the retrograde communication from mitochondria to the nucleus using Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Studying the behavior of different mutant strains with compromised mitochondrial activity under stressors allows us to establish a relation between mitochondrial DNA instability and different signaling candidates.