Dr. Anuradha Jauhan

Biological rhythms like mitochondrial dynamics and their implication in human pathology

"I am interested in the dynamics and efficiency of mitochondrial processes towards changing physiological environment with age and disease."

Mitochondria are remarkably dynamic organelle, maintaining their function and morphology in the wake of myriad of physiological conditions by undergoing frequent cycles of fission and fusion. The antagonistic and balanced dynamics of fission and fusion shape the spatio-temporal distribution of mitochondria. How the fission/fusion machinery helps mitochondria maintain its function in the wake of ever-changing physiological environment, is largely unknown. However, data is steadily increasing on the role of mitochondrial abundance and distribution in maintaining energy levels (through metabolic processes) and mitochondrial diversity (by rearranging mitochondrial DNA) to counteract molecular and environmental perturbations. While the activities, mechanisms and regulations of mitochondrial fission/fission machinery continue to be unravelled, the relevance of mitochondrial dynamics is witnessed by their impact on several phenotypes like organelle functions, cell fate, neurological diseases, metabolic disorders and aging.
The well-conserved molecular circuitry of fission/fusion machinery and its emerging connections with several nutrient-sensing pathways and signaling cascades, along with increasing data on spatio-temporal distribution of mitochondria, brings forth several interesting puzzles. I am interested in investigating the design, dynamics and efficiency of the fission/fusion machinery towards characterising and comparing resulting phenotypes in the energy, diversity and adaptation landscape. This will help us understand as to how a simple machine consisting of two antagonistic processes orchestrates through various molecular circuits to transform and adapt a variety of environmental stimuli to physiologically optimum phenotypes. The mechanistic understanding of mitochondrial regulation in response to different environmental conditions may help identify potential dietary and therapeutic targets to improve human health