معرفی
Dr. Irene Vercellino is a structural biologist at Forschungszentrum Jülich, leading the Mitochondrial Membrane Folding research group within the Structural Biology (ER-C-3) division of the Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons. Her work focuses on elucidating the atomic structures of mitochondrial membrane proteins using cryo-electron microscopy and supercomputing resources. This research aims to uncover how mitochondrial membrane architecture impacts cellular energy production and its implications for metabolic diseases and neurodegeneration.
Education & Career: Completed studies at the University of Turin, earned her PhD at ETH Zurich, and conducted a four-year postdoc at the Austrian Institute of Science and Technology (ISTA). Currently holds a group leadership position at Jülich, combining cutting-edge microscopy with computational analyses.
Research Interests: Mitochondrial membrane dynamics, protein complex assembly in energy metabolism pathways, cryo-EM applications in bioenergetics. Her work bridges structural biology with medical applications, particularly targeting mitochondria-related disorders.
Awards: 2024 For Women in Science Award (€25,000), recognizing her groundbreaking contributions to understanding mitochondrial membrane proteins and their role in disease mechanisms.
Labs & Teams: Heads the Mitochondrial Membrane Folding group at ER-C-3, collaborating with Jülich's supercomputing facilities (JSC) and microscopy infrastructure. Actively involved in promoting equity/diversity initiatives in STEM through programs like Operation STEM fatale.
