Speaker: Gerta Hoxhaj, Assistant Professor, UT Southwestern

The Hoxhaj laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms that regulate metabolism in cancer and metabolic disorders. A central focus of our research is understanding cellular reducing power, which is stored in the nucleotide cofactors NADP(H) and plays a crucial role in powering macromolecular biosynthesis and defense against oxidative stress.

NADPH is generated by NAD kinases (NADKs), including cytosolic NADK and mitochondrial NADK2, which supply reducing power in their respective compartments. Our lab explores the compartmentalized regulation of NADPH redox metabolism through the lens of NAD kinases, uncovering new insights into how mitochondrial and cytosolic NADPH support anabolic metabolism, drive cancer cell growth, and influence physiological processes.