Forschung Gottfried Schatz Forschungszentrum

Research focus Signaling

PI: Wolfgang Graier

Focus: The main research focus is on the regulation and function of cellular calcium homeostasis under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Thereby, the group investigates the mechanism of mitochondrial calcium homeostasis and its impact on mitochondrial function in cancer cells and during aging. Genetically encoded biosensors are used to follow cellular signaling by fluorescence microscopy in real-time. Moreover, confocal microscopy and super-resolution microscopy (N-SIM) are used to analyze structural alterations of organelles and their interaction sites.

Network: Internationally we cooperate with Hiromi Imamura (Kyoto University, Japan), Jesse Hay (University of Montana, USA), Nikolaus Plesnila (Klinikum der Universität München, Germany), Thomas Simmen (Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Canada). Our cooperation partners at the Med Uni Graz are: Klaus Groschner,Dagmar Kratky, Tobias Madl und Roland Malli (all Gottfried Schatz Research Center).

Projects

Mitochondria as potential targets in cancer and cell aging therapy

  • The project is devoted to investigating the function and homeostasis of mitochondria in cancer and aging. Thereby, super-resolution microscopy is combined with the usage of genetically encoded biosensors to unveil cellular targets suitable for anti-aging strategies and test new compounds.
  • Duration: 2019-2022
  • Funded by: MEFOgraz – Vereinigung Forschungsförderung Med Uni Graz

 

Doctoral College Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases

  • The research project aims to understand the role of various proteins involved in mitochondrial calcium uptake and controlling the interaction of mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum. Besides, different cell types are used to investigate the impact of mitochondrial calcium homeostasis on metabolic activity and ROS homeostasis.
  • Duration: 2019-2022
  • Funded by: FWF

Division of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr.
Wolfgang Graier 
T: +43 316 385 71963