Mitochondria are the metabolic hub of the cell and provide the bulk of cellular energy necessary for survival. Changes in mitochondrial function and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production lead to diverse outcomes ranging from stress signaling to disease. These divergent outcomes are spatially and temporally dependent; when, where and the degree of change in mitochondrial function can influence downstream events.
This presentation will highlight the complexity of compartmentalized ROS, the novel tools we use to control mitochondrial function and ROS production, and how site-specific alterations contribute to signaling events and disease.
Andrew Wojtovich is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. He received his B.A. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and M.A. in Biotechnology from Boston University. He completed his Ph.D. in Pharmacology at the University of Rochester. After finishing postdoctoral work at the University of Rochester, he joined the Department of Anesthesiology. His research uses optogenetics to study the role of site-specific ROS production in mitochondrial physiology and hypoxic stress signaling.