Qi Laboratory
- Mitochondria in health and disease
Our laboratory investigates the roles of mitochondrial quality control and metabolism in neurodegenerative diseases. By integrating proteomics, genomics, cell and molecular biology, and patient-derived iPS cell models with disease-relevant animal studies, we aim to uncover how mitochondrial dysfunction drives metabolic impairment, immune dysregulation, and neurodegeneration.
In parallel, we pursue therapeutic innovation through rationally designed peptide inhibitors targeting key protein-protein interactions and high-throughput drug screening, developing "mitochondrial medicine" as a strategy to combat neurodegenerative disorders.
Science
Publication
Team
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June 2025- Qi lab is awarded an NIH R01 grant to study molecular mechanism of TDP43-mediated ALS/FTD!
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June 2025- Congratulations to Kyle on awarding T32 Neurodegeneration Training Grant 🎉
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Feb 2025- Congratulations to Aya on successfully completing her private thesis defense! 🎉
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Jan 2025- Congratulations to Kyle and Jack on the publication of their insightful review paper on mitochondrial impairment in Alzheimer's disease! 🎉
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Dec 2024- Congratulations to Aya on the acceptance of her PhD thesis work for publication in Acta Neuropathologica Communications! 🎉
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Nov 2024- Congratulations to Yutong on the publication of their co-first author paper in Science Advances!🎉
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Oct 2024- Congratulations to Sara for winning the best oral presentation in the Annual Recknagel Symposium!
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Oct 2024- Congratulations to Philip for winning the poster award (First place) in the Department Annual Retreat!
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Aug 2024- Jack has passed his PhD qualifying exam! Congratulations to Jack for advancing to PhD candidacy!
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May 2024- Kyle passed PhD qualifying exam and advances to PhD candidacy. Congratulations!
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Dec 2023- Sarah Cooke joins our lab as a PhD student. Welcome!
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Oct 2023- Dr. Na Liu joins the lab as a postdoc scholar, Welcome!
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Jun 2023- Cassandra's review paper is published! Congratulations!
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Feb 2023- Rihua is promoted to Research Scientist. Congratulations!
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Feb 2023- Yutong stays in the lab for her postdoc training!
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Jan 2023- Kyle joins our lab as a PhD graduate student!
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Choi W#, Fattah M#, Shang YT#, Thompson MP, Carrow K, Hu D, Liu ZR, Avram M, Bailey K, Berger O, Qi X* and Gianneschi NC*, Mutant Huntingtin Mimetic Protein-like Polymer Blocks Mitochondrial damage, Rescues Huntington’s Neurons, and Slows Onset of Neuropathology In Vivo. #, co-first author. *, co-corresponding author. Science Advances, 2024, Nov 1, 10, eado8307
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Sridharan PS, Miller E, Kee T, Chakraborty S, Hu D, Tripathi SJ, Koh Yeojung, Chaubey K, Dhar M, Vazquez-Rosa E, Shin MK, Alvarado RA, Barker S, Franke K, Cintron-Perez CJ, Flanagan M, Castellani RJ, Gefen T, Wilson BM, Fujioka H, Woo JA, Kang D, Paul BD, Qi X* and Pieper AA*, Early transient inhibition of excessive mitochondrial fission after brain injury blocks transition to chronic neurodegenerative disease. *, co-corresponding author. Cell Reports Medicine, 2024 Sep 17;5(9):101715, PMID: 39241772
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Shang YT, Sun XY, Chen XQ, Wang QQ, Wang EJ, Miller M, Xu R, Pieper AA and Qi X, A CHCHD6-APP axis connects amyloid and mitochondrial dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neuropathologica, 2022 Nov;144(5):911-938. PMID: 36104602
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Zhao YY, Hu D, Wang RH, Sun XY, Ropelewski P, Hubler Z, Lundberg K, Wang QQ, Adams D, Xu R and Qi X, ATAD3A oligomerization promotes neuropathology and cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease models by impairing brain cholesterol turnover. Nature Communications, 2022 Mar 2;13(1):1121. PMID: 35236834
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Hu D, Sun SY, Magpusao A, Fedorov Y, Thompson M, Wang BL, Lundberg K, Adams D and Qi X, Small-molecule suppression of calpastatin degradation reduces neuropathology in models of Huntington’s disease. Nature Communications, 2021 Sep 6;12(1):5305. PMID: 34489447
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Zhang XW, Wang RH, Hu D, Sun XY, Fujioka H, Lundberg K, Chan ER, Wang QQ, Xu R, Flanagan ME, Pieper AA, and Qi X, Oligodendroglial glycolytic stress triggers inflammasome activation and neuropathology in Alzheimer’s disease. Science Advances. 2020 Dec 4;6(49):eabb8680. PMID: 33277246
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Zhao YY, Sun XY, Hu D, Prosdoci D, Jain M, Hoppel C, Ramachandran R, Qi X, ATAD3A oligomerization causes neurodegeneration by coupling mitochondrial fragmentation with bioenergetics defects. Nature Communications, 2019 Mar 26;10(1):1371. PMID: 30914652
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Hu D, Sun XY, Zarabi S, Hong YN, Schimmer A, Liao XD, Ford CP, Luo Y, Qi X, Alpha-synuclein suppresses mitochondrial protease ClpP to trigger mitochondrial oxidative damage and neurotoxicity. Acta Neuropathologica, 2019 Jun;137(6):939-960. PMID: 30877431
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Guo X, Sun XY, Di H, Wang YJ, Fujioka H, Vyas R, Chakrapani S, Joshi UA, Luo Y, Mochly-Rosen D and Qi X, VCP recruitment to mitochondria causes mitophagy impairment and neurodegeneration in models of Huntington’s disease. Nature Communications, 2016 Aug 26;7:12646. PMID: 27561680
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Guo X, Disatnik MH, Monbureau M, Shamloo M, Mochly-Rosen D and Qi X, Inhibition of mitochondrial fragmentation diminishes Huntington’s disease-associated neurodegeneration. J Clin Invest., 2013 Dec;123(12):5371-88. PMID: 24231356