Gisela Beutner, Ph.D.

My primary research interest is energy generation in the heart, both physiologically and pathologically. Energy in form of ATP is made by mitochondria and necessary to keep the heart working and even apoptotic cell death requires energy. My special research interest is the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. Although a variety of mitochondrial proteins have been hypothesized to constitute the pore, the structural components are still not identified. It is well established that opening of the permeability transition pore will lead to apoptotic cell death. However, the physiological role of this pore is much less understood. My research will focus on the identification of the components of the permeability transition pore and how this pore is regulated during cardiac development. Experimental models of my research will include isolate mitochondria from the heart, primary cultured cardiac myocytes and in vivo models like transgenic mice.