Prashant Mishra

Prashant Mishra is a Professor at the Children's Medical Center Research Institute at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where he has been a faculty member since 2015. He earned his undergraduate degree in biochemical sciences from Harvard University, followed by an MD/PhD from UT Southwestern. His postdoctoral work at the California Institute of Technology focused on mitochondrial behavior under the mentorship of Dr. David Chan. His research explores mitochondrial dynamics and their integration with cellular metabolism, aiming to uncover mechanisms underlying mitochondrial diseases and develop clinical therapies.

Education:

• B.S., Biochemical Sciences, Harvard University
• M.D./Ph.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, California Institute of Technology (Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund)

Research Interests: Mishra’s lab investigates how mitochondria are embedded in normal cellular functions, with a focus on metabolic pathways, mitochondrial myopathies, and regenerative medicine. Key areas include mitochondrial dynamics, metabolic inflexibility in liver regeneration, and the role of mitochondria in cancer metastasis.

Recent Research Trends: Recent work highlights studies on metabolic adaptations in liver regeneration, mitochondrial DNA mutations inhibiting melanoma metastasis, and mechanisms linking mitochondrial dysfunction to progeroid syndromes. These studies emphasize the lab’s interdisciplinary approach to bridging basic science and clinical applications.

Grants & Advising: Mishra mentors graduate and postdoctoral researchers, including students like Cameron Menezes and Spencer Shelton. His lab collaborates with institutions like Boston Children’s Hospital and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Ongoing projects explore mitochondrial quality control in muscle regeneration and metabolic dependencies in cancer.

Labs & Facilities: The Mishra Lab operates within the Children’s Research Institute (CRI), leveraging shared facilities such as Metabolomics and Sequencing cores to advance studies on mitochondrial biology and metabolic disorders.