Highest honors for CECAD junior scientist
Research into the functioning of mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell, is of key importance in the field of aging research. Dr. Aleksandra Trifunovic’s work has already provided some of the most important evidence showing that disruption of mitochondrial functions plays a central role in aging processes and development of aging-associated diseases. The substantial funding provided by the ERC will now allow her to further develop this line of research. A core part of the project is investigating the role of specific stress response activated upon accumulation of unfolded proteins inside of mitochondria during aging.
The research project is scheduled to take five years, starting in October 2012, and will involve the recruitment of several doctoral students and postdoc researchers.
The ERC office is funded by the EU-Commission. Scientists of all ages and at all levels of training can submit applications for research grants. The mission of the ERC is to promote cutting-edge research programs to put Europe in the forefront of international research. Every year they put a total of 1.75 billion Euros behind selected research projects. An ERC starting grant such as that awarded to Dr. Aleksandra Trifunovic is designed to support excellent researchers at an early stage of their career.
To function correctly, proteins need to fold into a specific shape. If this process is disturbed by environmental factors or for physiological reasons, the proteins will fold wrongly. The proteins can then aggregate into clumps, which can cause severe neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, particularly associated with the old age. To fight this, cell have developed specific ways to deal with this burden. Pursuing two complementary strategies, Dr. Trifunovic aims to identify the molecular mechanisms and signal pathways that regulate the reaction of mitochondria to unfolded proteins. This work will further extend our basic understanding of the reaction of mitochondria to stress, particularly in relation to the aging process. An exciting prospect for Trifunovic: “From this, we hope to obtain insights into the fundamental mechanisms by which cells maintain a metabolic balance. Our research will be carried out on model organisms such as the 2mm long roundworm, in which many metabolic processes are similar to those in humans, allowing important discoveries to be made.”
Contact address for queries:
Dr. Aleksandra Trifunovic
Cluster of Excellence CECAD at the University of Cologne
phone +49 (0) 221-470-7813
email: aleksandra.trifunovic@uk-koeln.de