Prof. Dr. Ana J. Garcia-Saez
Director at the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics

Abstract
Mitochondrial permeabilization is a key step in the signaling pathway of apoptosis and in the cell’s commitment to death. It affects the outer and subsequently the inner mitochondrial membranes through the opening of membrane pores via mechanisms that are not fully clear. This releases cytochrome c and SMAC into the cytosol, leading to the activation of caspases, a set of proteases that accelerate cell death and that block inflammation by inactivating intracellular innate immunity effectors. Mitochondrial inner membrane permeabilization additionally releases mtDNA into the cytosol, which in turn activates intracellular innate immunity pathways unless counterbalanced by caspases. Here, I will discuss our work using advanced microscopy methods to advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial pores in apoptosis and how they function in the regulation of cell death and of inflammatory signaling outcomes.

Biography
Ana J. García-Sáez began her scientific career with her doctorate at the University of Valencia in Spain. After a postdoctoral stay at the Technical University of Dresden, she became a Max Planck Research Group Leader and Junior Group Leader at the German Cancer Research Center at Bioquant, an interdisciplinary research centre at Heidelberg University. Less than ten years after completing her doctorate, García-Sáez was offered a position as professor at the University of Tübingen. In 2019, she accepted a call to the University of Cologne and continued her research there until the end of 2024 while simultaneously establishing her lab at the MPI of Biophysics. Her scientific achievements have been recognized by her selection as an EMBO Young Investigator and a Henriette Herz-Scout of the Alexander von Humboldt foundation, and by three prestigious ERC (European Research Council) Grants.

Location
Seminar Room, 0.125, Kussmaulallee 2
Location Details

Zoom
https://eu02web.zoom-x.de/j/64002499923?pwd=8wu6nTmeJr6PjuxIbEyICj2AFZofjV.1
Meeting-ID: 640 0249 9923
Kenncode: 399339