Penulis: Valeria Culotta

Prof. Robert A. Scott (Editor-in-Chief Encyclopedia of Inorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry) Distinguished Research Professor, University of Georgia, USA. Prof. Valeria Culotta, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Joint Departmental Affiliations Environmental Health Sciences Research in the Culotta lab focuses on the role of metal ions and oxygen radicals in biology and disease. Metal ions such as copper, iron and manganese are not only trace nutrients but can be quite toxic. One mechanism of toxicity is through generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that have been implicated in numerous human disorders from neurodegeneration to cancer to aging. Through molecular genetic approaches and high through-put genetic screens in yeast, we have identified a number genes and pathways that are involved in transition metal and reactive oxygen metabolism. Virtually all are well conserved throughout eukaryotes including humans. Our laboratory uses a combination of yeast, C. elegans and cell culture systems at the crossroads of bioinorganic chemistry, cell biology and molecular genetics.