معرفی
Konstantin Khrapko is a Professor at Northeastern University with joint appointments in the College of Science and Bouvé College of Health Sciences. His primary affiliation is the Biology department, focusing on mitochondrial genetics, aging, and human evolution. His research explores somatic mtDNA mutations’ roles in aging and disease, mitochondrial population dynamics, and the use of mtDNA pseudogenes to study human ancestry.
Expertise includes mitochondrial biology, including mutation mechanisms, epigenetic regulation (e.g., mtDNA methylation), and the interplay between mitochondrial dysfunction and aging. His lab develops advanced molecular tools like high-efficiency single-molecule PCR and next-generation sequencing for analyzing individual mtDNA molecules.
Key research themes include mitochondrial population genetics, the origins of somatic mutations, and evolutionary studies using nuclear mtDNA pseudogenes (NUMTs). Recent work addresses mitochondrial heterogeneity in embryos, the impact of maternal age on mitochondrial inheritance, and mechanisms preserving mitochondrial integrity across generations.
Publications span over two decades, emphasizing mitochondrial mutation spectra in aging, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. His work bridges basic science and translational research, with implications for understanding aging-related diseases and evolutionary biology.
