Orian Shirihai

Orian Shirihai is a Professor of Medicine and Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). He serves as Chair and Professor in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, and is a member of the I3T Theme in Molecular, Cellular & Integrative Physiology. Since 2016, he has directed the UCLA Metabolism Theme, which facilitates collaborative research and provides guidance to the UCLA metabolism research community.

Dr. Shirihai's research focuses on organellar biology with particular emphasis on mitochondria, lysosomes, and autophagosomes in the context of obesity and diabetes. Over the past fifteen years, his laboratory has made significant contributions to understanding mitochondrial dynamics in quality control, fuel preferences, and energy expenditure. His team is known for developing key imaging approaches that allow for the quantification of mitochondrial dynamics, motility, mitophagy, and turnover. They have described the life cycle of mitochondria and the role of continuous fusion and fission dynamics in maintaining bioenergetic capacity and efficiency, particularly in pancreatic beta cells. The lab has played a pivotal role in developing cutting-edge technology for high-throughput respirometry in collaboration with Seahorse Bioscience, leading to higher throughput approaches for islet respirometry.

Dr. Shirihai's recent publications reveal a strong focus on mitochondrial biology across various physiological contexts. His work spans neuroscience (brain mapping of mitochondrial respiratory capacity), immunology (role of mitochondrial ROS in T cell function), virology (SARS-CoV-2 effects on retinal pigment epithelium), and cancer biology (PGC-1α in neuroendocrine cancer). A recurring theme is the development and application of innovative technologies, including nanoparticle-based therapies for restoring lysosomal function and novel imaging approaches for studying subcellular structures. His research consistently connects mitochondrial dynamics with metabolic regulation across multiple organ systems.

Dr. Shirihai has secured significant research funding from the National Institutes of Health, including as Principal Investigator on grants studying mitochondrial regulation of energy efficiency and mitochondrial dynamics in beta cell function. His laboratory has trained over 80 different research groups in bioenergetics methodologies and has mentored more than 14 postdoctoral fellows, six of whom have become academic faculty members and two who have founded biotech companies. The lab maintains active collaborations with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies on drug discovery and medical device development projects.

Dr. Shirihai directs a research laboratory that has established itself as a leader in mitochondrial biology and bioenergetics. His team has developed numerous methodological advances that have been widely adopted in the field. The lab's work bridges basic mitochondrial science with translational applications, particularly in metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes. Current research directions include the development of lysosome-targeted nanoparticles for therapeutic applications and investigating the role of mitochondrial dynamics in various disease contexts including viral infections, cancer, and metabolic disorders.