The main goal of our research efforts is to understand how cell metabolism determines cell fate and how it can be manipulated for the purposes of prevention and therapies. Mitochondria are "powerhouses" of the cell and also important components of cell signaling. In undifferentiated stem cells mitochondria are inactive but become activated during the process of differentiation. We focus on the mechanism of this metabolic switch in mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), common precursors of osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes, and how this mechanism is disrupted in aging and in various diseases.
