Mariusz Wieckowski

Mariusz R. Wieckowski is an associate Professor in the Laboratory of Bioenergetics and Biomembranes Department of Biochemistry in Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology (Polish Academy of Sciences). He has over 27 years experience in mitochondrial metabolism research (h-index = 54; over 170 publications cited more than 10 000 times; Summary Impact Factor of his articles based on 2019/2020 IF data is higher than 740). Prof. Wieckowski completed his PhD at Nencki Institute in 1999, focusing on the role of mitochondrial megachannel in the uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation. In 2002 he joined the prof. R. Rizzuto’s laboratory at the University of Ferrara, where as a post-doc he began studies on close interaction between endoplasmic reticulum with mitochondria. Almost since 2007 in the Laboratory of Bioenergetics and Biomembranes at Nencki Institute, he leads his own team continuing working on the molecular composition of mitochondrial megachannel and MAM and PAM physiology. Moreover, his group is studying mitochondrial metabolism in different aspects – in physiology and pathology (i.g. differentiation, aging, senescence, diabetes, tumourgenesis, mitochondrial and neurological disorders). Especially his work is concentrated on respiratory chain dysfunctions, deregulation of calcium homeostasis and elevated Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production and protein carbonylation and nitration as indicators of the intensity of intracellular oxidative stress. For almost 16 years Prof. Wieckowski is collaborating with The Children’s Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw mostly studying mitochondrial dysfunctions with the use of primary cultures of fibroblasts from patients with diagnosed various mitochondrial disorders and animal model also harbouring mitochondrial defects (like complex I deficient mice). Apart from functional studies he is an expert in the proteins interaction research including Blue Native electrophoresis and immunoprecipitation techniques. Additionally, he is investigating the relations between mitochondrial energetic and oxidative stress in tumors as well as pharmacological toxicity to mitochondria. In the range of Horizon 2020 and National Science Center projects he is investigating the role of mitochondria and oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. From 2019 prof. Mariusz Wieckowski is a head of the Laboratory of Mitochondrial Biology and Metabolism at the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw.