Balasubramani Subramani Paranthaman
Albany State University, GA·Biology
Mitochondria are the structures inside cells that produce energy. They also start the process by which a cell destroys itself.
- Fields
Biology
Biochemistry
Biomedical Engineering
- Topics
mitochondria
nanoparticles
nano-vehicles
- Grants
- 1 known grant, through Jul 2027
What they work on
- Build nanoparticles that encapsulate resveratrol, a natural compound that modulates mitochondria, and measure their stability using phytochemical and chromatographic analysis.
- Determine how the nano-vehicles enter baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) by endocytosis, move through the cell and deliver small molecules to mitochondria, using genomic and proteomic analysis.
- Test whether resveratrol nano-vehicles work effectively and safely in yeast cells and their mitochondria, using cell biology and microscopy techniques.
- Train undergraduate students in interdisciplinary research methods, including nanoparticle preparation and analysis, cell and molecular biology, and mitochondrial analysis.
More about the research
Natural compounds such as quercetin, resveratrol and curcumin can change how mitochondria behave. They do this by altering the production of reactive oxygen molecules and by shifting gene activity, which affects how cells function and survive. However, these compounds are poorly absorbed and are chemically transformed before they reach their target, which limits their use. This project builds nanosized particles that can carry such small molecules safely into cells and on to the mitochondria, using baker's yeast as a model. The grant states that the findings can be extrapolated to cells of plants, animals and humans.
Why it matters
Natural compounds that influence mitochondria, such as resveratrol, are held back by poor bioavailability and by being chemically altered before they act. A nano-vehicle that delivers these compounds directly to mitochondria could make them more useful in biomedical and biomanufacturing applications. Because the yeast results can be extrapolated to higher organisms, the delivery principles could inform work in plant, animal and human cells.
Known grants
From NIH and NSF research grants. Labs often have other funding we can't see.
Closest labs
Xin Jie Chen
Upstate Medical University, NY·Biology
Test in yeast whether specific mitochondrial stresses cause severe protein-handling damage to the vacuole, the yeast lysosome. Use genetic screens to find genes that suppress this signaling and may extend lifespan.
Patricia Wittkopp
University of Michigan, MI·Genetics
Identify the genes and specific DNA changes behind trait differences within and between fruit fly (Drosophila) species, and determine how they alter molecular, cellular and developmental processes.
Jaime Lopez-Mosqueda
University of Texas at Austin, TX·Biochemistry·Early-career
Test for a unifying molecular mark that flags DNA-protein crosslinks for destruction, regardless of the size or chemical nature of the trapped protein, using biochemical and molecular biology approaches.
The school
Albany State University: 2 labs on PI Pages.
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