Zamboni group, Metabolomics & network analysis
Research project available on investigating metabolic response to mitochndrial defects in yeast
Mitochondria are central metabolic units in eukaryotes with a major role in energy production. In addition to oxidative phosphorylation and respiration, they carry an essential metabolic cellular role in higher cells, specifically in oxidative metabolism of amino acids, fatty acids and tricarboxylic organic acids. Malfunctioning mitochondria can cause different diseases, which are usually a result of disrupted metabolic homeostasis. The TCA cycle is the biochemical hub of the mitochondria and its disruption results in the aberrant mitochondria.We are interested in investigating how mitochondrial perturbations propagate to cellular metabolism and to which extent metabolite levels are diagnostic for mitochondrial dysfunction.
This project is planned to be 50% experimental and 50% computational analysis. You will perform physiology, mitochondrial assays, and metabolomics experiments in different yeast mutants. Mostly you will use non-targeted mass spectrometry metabolomics data to understand how metabolism responds to mitochondrial defects.
Contact: Petra Krznar ()