First name,Last name,Preferred title,Overview,Position,Department,Individual
Vishal,Gohil,Associate Professor,"Despite the fundamental role of the mitochondrion in cellular energy production and its involvement in numerous human diseases, we still do not know the function of nearly 20% of the known mitochondrial proteins. My laboratory applies genomic, genetic, and biochemical tools to uncover the role of these uncharacterized proteins in the mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) biogenesis. MRC is the main site of cellular respiration and energy production and since the core components of the MRC are evolutionarily conserved, we reason that the assembly factors required to build the MRC should also be conserved. Therefore, we utilize multiple models systems, including yeast, zebrafish, and human cell lines, to determine the role of these conserved, uncharacterized mitochondrial proteins in bioenergetics, organismal development, and human disease pathogenesis.
Another poorly understood aspect of the mitochondrial energy metabolism is the role of phospholipids in maintaining the structural and functional integrity of the MRC. Although it is well known that the MRC is localized in the inner mitochondrial membrane, how the unique lipid milieu of the mitochondrial membrane influences the assembly and activity of the MRC is not fully understood. We have constructed yeast mutants with defined mitochondrial phospholipid compositions to systematically determine each lipid's role in MRC assembly and activity. Ultimately, defining the roles of mitochondrial proteins and phospholipids will allow us to develop better diagnostic and therapeutic options for human disorders resulting from mitochondrial dysfunction.",Faculty Affiliate||Assistant Professor,Energy Institute||Biochemistry and Biophysics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n03100e49
Yangyang,Xu,Assistant Professor,,Faculty Affiliate||Assistant Professor,Atmospheric Sciences||Energy Institute,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n3d9f7a92
Dion,Antao,Assistant Professor,"Dr. Antao's current research interests are in molecular-to-macroscale heat transfer, fluid dynamics and interfacial phenomena, light-structure interactions on micro/nanostructured surfaces, and novel optical diagnostics and metrology for phase-change thermal transport characterization. Manipulating interfacial interactions (liquid-vapor-solid interfaces) at the nano- and microscale to design and enhance phase-change heat transfer processes for applications in electricity generation, electronics and energy conversion system thermal management, low-carbon aviation technology, and water purification. Investigating thermal and fluid transport in liquid-vapor two phase flow heat exchangers. Synthesis, molecular-to-macroscale characterization and accelerated durability testing of low surface energy promotor coatings for enhanced condensation heat transfer in energy systems. Synthesis and characterization of scalable and robust materials for solar energy conversion and boiling/evaporation heat transfer devices/technology. Application of non-equilibrium plasma technologies to enhance thermal, fluid and mechanical processes in clean and sustainable energy conversion applications.",Assistant Professor||Faculty Affiliate,Mechanical Engineering||Energy Institute,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n5c428c20