Systems biology research group

In heart muscle cells, calcium regulates cells' contraction and mitochondria energy production needed to perform mechanical work and maintain ion balance. The primary calcium source in adult mammalian cells is the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Recently, it has been shown that SR and mitochondria are physically linked and regulate mitochondrial respiration. The precise interaction between them is essential for maintaining energy balance in the heart, yet many aspects of this regulatory pathway are still poorly understood. This project aims to unravel mechanistic aspects of SR-mitochondria interaction by taking advantage of structural and functional changes in heart muscle cells during development and in disease. We expect this knowledge to be applicable at the other end of the heart physiology spectrum – disease, as failing hearts resemble in many ways the hearts from early stages of development.