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Alexander Galkin: Mitochondrial bioenergetics and oxygen

Alexander Galkin; bioenergetics

Research Interests

My main interests are bioenergetics and mitochondrial metabolism,  the respiratory chain complexes in pathological conditions such as hypoxia or ischemia/reperfusion. We are studying mitochondrial Complex I a huge multisubunit membrane enzyme occupies a key position in cell metabolism and energy production and is responsible for energy-linked  oxidation of all NADH generated during catabolysm. Complex I is located at the beginning of the respiratory chain chain and catalyses electron transfer from NADH to ubiquinone-10 (Coenzyme Q10) coupled with proton translocation. Mammalian enzyme structure has been resolved only in 2016 (Fiedorczuk et al., 2016 and Zhu et al., 2016) but the exact mechanism of energy is converted in this enzyme is unclear. 

Dysfunction of Complex I is involved in many pathological conditions such as Parkinson's disease, various encephalomyopathies , mitochondrially inherited diseases and the process of aging. Most likely, it is the main generator of deleterious reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Complex I is also a major target during brain and cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury. Despite the importance of Complex I for cellular metabolism, little is known about its regulation in vivo. Recently we identified several important ways of Complex I regulation in health and pathology: A/D transition in heart and brain, effect of monovalent cations,  critical cysteine modification in brain ischemia and  flavin loss in stroke.

 (read more about research)

Contact

We are always looking for highly motivated undergraduate/graduate students or postdocs. Please contact me directly via Columbia e-mail.

 
Columbia University            
Cornell University

E-mail: ag4003@cumc.columbia.edu

E-mail: alg2057@med.cornell.edu

Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University,

William Black Building, 650 W, 168th st,
New York, NY 10032, USA

https://www.pediatrics.columbia.edu/profile/alexander-galkin-phd

Fax:+1 212 3O58796 

Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute,
Weill Cornell Medical College, 407 East 61st Street;
New York, NY 10065, USA

Phone: +1 347255655O