The main research interest of our lab is on the basic mechanisms that govern the biogenesis of mitochondrial protein complexes in health, disease and aging. We are most specifically interested in the assembly and function of the mitochondrial translation machinery and of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and oxidative phosphorylation system components, involved in biological energy transduction.
The study of mitochondria is now a very “hot issue” for both basic and clinical research. Mitochondria are not only the “energy factories” of the cell but they also house a multiplicity of pathways that serve to regulate cellular life and death. Importantly, mitochondria are involved in prevalent human diseases of wide social impact, most notably neurodegenerative disorders, but also in cancer and the aging process.
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2024 – Michele and Toni travel to Sweden for collaborative exchange at the Karolinska Institute
This November, Michele and Toni embarked on a two-week visit to the labs of Dr. Joanna Rorbach and Dr. Nils Larsson at the prestigious Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Despite the freezing temperatures, the experience proved to be incredibly rewarding. The collaboration facilitated an exchange of techniques, enhancing the technical expertise of both research groups and […]
2024 – Our group publishes in Nucleic Acids Research on the mitochondrial translation factor TACO1
We are excited to share that our group has published an article in Nucleic Acids Research about TACO1, a mitochondrial protein linked to a form of Leigh syndrome. In this study, led by Dr. Michele Brischigliaro as the first author, we describe TACO1’s role in facilitating mitochondrial translation by alleviating mitoribosome stalling during the synthesis […]
2024 – Michele receives a development grant from the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA)
Dr. Michele Brischigliaro has been awarded a Development Grant from the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) to investigate the role of aberrant mt-mRNA folding in mitochondrial encephalomyopathies. This well-deserved recognition highlights Michele’s innovative research and marks an important milestone on his journey toward establishing an independent scientific career. Congratulations, Michele, on this remarkable achievement!
Our group, with Dr. Conor Moran as the first author, has published a collaborative study with Harvard that advances our understanding of mitochondrial mRNA structure. This research underscores the critical role of maintaining mitochondrial mRNA folding, demonstrated using a cell line deficient in the leucine-rich pentatricopeptide repeat–containing protein (LRPPRC). LRPPRC acts as a holdase, stabilizing […]
