Chan Lab
Principal Investigator: David C Chan
Institution: California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, CA)
Primary Subfield: Molecular & Cell Bio
Recruitment Status: Inquire for rotation/fellowship opportunities
Research Focus
Project Summary/Abstract Mitochondria are best known as the “powerhouses” of the cell, due to their predominant role in generating cellular energy through the tricarboxylic acid cycle, fatty acid metabolism, and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Beyond energy generation, these essential organelles also play central roles in apoptosis, calcium handing, innate immunity, cell signaling, and iron-sulfur cluster assembly. Human health therefore depends critically on mitochondrial function. The research program proposed here seeks to understand three homeostatic mechanisms that regulate mitochondrial health. The first mechanism is mitochondrial fusion and fission dynamics. Mitochondria are dynamic organelles whose physiology is regulated by the balance between the opposing processes of membrane fusion and fission. Second, the quality of the mitochondrial population is maintained by selective degradation of excessive or defective mitochondria through mitophagy, the autophagic pathway that shuttles mitochondria to the lysosome for destruction. Finally, mitochondrial quantity and function are regulated by biogenesis programs that control expression of mitochondrial genes, ensuring that ap…
Active NIH Awards
- 5R35GM127147-09: Homeostatic Mechanisms Regulating Mitochondrial Health (2026)
- 5R35GM127147-08: Homeostatic Mechanisms Regulating Mitochondrial Health (2025)
- 5R35GM127147-07: Homeostatic Mechanisms Regulating Mitochondrial Health (2024)
- 3R35GM127147-07S1: Homeostatic Mechanisms Regulating Mitochondrial Health EQUIPMENT SUPPLEMENT (2024)
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