IISER MOHALI

Abstract: Mitochondria perform diverse classical and non-classical functions essential for cellular homeostasis, including ATP generation, reactive oxygen species production, calcium buffering, metabolic regulation, and immune signalling. Dysfunction of mitochondrial proteins contributes to numerous human diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, and diabetes. A defining feature of mitochondria is the highly folded inner membrane, which forms cristae. For over six decades, cristae were considered static structures. Using technically demanding live-cell STED super-resolution nanoscopy, we demonstrated that cristae membranes are remarkably dynamic, undergoing rapid remodelling within seconds, a discovery that has been independently confirmed by other groups. This paradigm shift establishes cristae membrane dynamics as a previously unrecognised regulator of mitochondrial function and highlights the need to understand their roles in physiology and disease.

About the speaker: Arun Kumar Kondadi is a group head at the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany. The focus of his research group is to uncover how changes in cristae architecture alter mitochondrial activity and trigger metabolic transitions associated with cellular dysfunction and disease. His laboratory combines advanced live-cell microscopy, super-resolution imaging, quantitative image analysis, and metabolic approaches to study mitochondrial membrane behaviour.