Mitophagy: How Cells Eat Their Own Powerhouses to Stay Healthy

Host:Miratul Muqit

Venue: MSI Small Lecture Theatre, FLS

Abstract:

Mitochondria are essential organelles that produce energy and regulate diverse cellular processes, including metabolism, immunity, and cell death. Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of ageing and many age-related diseases, underscoring the importance of maintaining mitochondrial health. Mitophagy, the selective removal of mitochondria through autophagy, plays a central role in mitochondrial quality control.

Among the different mitophagy pathways, the PINK1/Parkin pathway has received considerable attention due to its association with familial early-onset Parkinson's disease. In this pathway, damaged mitochondria are recognised and engulfed by double-membrane structures known as autophagosomes, which subsequently fuse with lysosomes to enable mitochondrial degradation and recycling. In this seminar, I will discuss discoveries from my postdoctoral research that challenge our current understanding of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy, uncovering key molecular signalling mechanisms that regulate mitophagy initiation and autophagosome formation.

Building on these discoveries, I will introduce emerging research directions in my laboratory at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. Our research aims to understand how distinct mitophagy pathways are initiated and regulated across different cellular contexts, and how their dysregulation may contribute to human diseases, including neurodegeneration and cancer

Bio:

Dr Thanh (Ricky) Nguyen is an Assistant Professor at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. He obtained his PhD from La Trobe University, Australia, where he investigated the molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial apoptosis under the supervision of Professors Mike Ryan and Diana Stojanovski. He subsequently undertook postdoctoral research with Professor Michael Lazarou at Monash University and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI), focusing on the molecular mechanisms of selective autophagy and mitophagy. He later served as Interim Laboratory Head at WEHI within the Ubiquitin Signalling Division led by Professor David Komander. His research has significantly contributed to identifying key signalling mechanisms that initiate mitophagy and molecular regulators of autophagosome formation. In 2026, he was awarded the Nanyang Assistant Professorship and established his independent laboratory at NTU, focusing on the molecular mechanisms of selective autophagy and their roles in health and disease.