

Mitochondria in Health and Disease
Decoding mechanisms of neurodegeneration.
Developing therapies that restore mitochondrial health
The Qi laboratory investigates how mitochondrial dysfunction drives neurodegeneration and translates mechanistic discoveries into new therapeutic strategies.
From fundamental mechanism to therapeutic discovery. Our Research focuses on four interconnected themes.
Mitochondrial Dynamics &
Quality Control
How mitochondrial structure, dynamics and quality control maintain brain health.
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Mitochondrial Proteostasis & Organelle Homeostasis
How mitochondrial proteins, cristae integrity and organelle communication are disrupted in disease.

Metabolism, Neuro-inflammation & Neurodegeneration
How metabolic dysfunction and neuron-glia interactions contribute to disease progression.

Therapeutic Discovery
Developing biologics and small-molecule therapeutics to restore mitochodnrial function and combat neurodegeneration

Highlighted findings that advance our understanding of mitochondrial biology and neurodegeneration
A collaborative research team advancing mitochondrial research

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Collaborative
We Value teamwork and open exchange of ideas
Innovative
We pursue bold questions and creative solutions
Impactful
We strive to make a difference for patients and families
We are always looking for motivated and creative individuals to join our team. Explore opportunities for graduate students, postdoc, research staff, and motivated undergraduates.

Updates from our lab and community.
Sep 2026- ​​​
Qi lab awarded new NIH grant to study mitochondrial RNA metabolism in alpha-synuclein-mediated Parkinson's disease.
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April 2026- ​
Cassandra has been named the 2026 Doctoral Excellence Award recipient for the department by the School of Medicine!
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March 2026-
Congratulations to Cassandra and Rihua for their paper accepted by Acta Neuropathologica
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Feb 2026-
Congratulations to Di for his papers accepted by Science Advances and Molecular Neurodegeneration
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