Douglas Pfeiffer

Research Description:

PROFESSOR PFEIFFER investigates problems in the general areas of bioenergetics and transport. Mitochondria and ion transporting antibiotics, alled ionophores, have been his central experimental systems. However from time to time, the work has extended to include aspects of lipid metabolism, membrane physical properties, and work with cultured cells, isolated proteins and reconstituted transport systems. At present, work on the mitochondrial permeability transition is an area of emphasis. This phenomenon is brought about by the opening of a Ca2+ regulated pore in the inner mitochondrial membrane, and is inhibited by an immunosuppressive peptide called cyclosporin A. The permeability transition occurs in situ when cells are subjected to oxidative stress and is an important component of the mechanism which kills such cells. Other areas of current emphasis include biophysical investigation of ionopohore transport mechanisms utilizing phospholipid vesicle systems, and regulation of the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter by a low molecular weight peptide which resides in the intermembrane space of mitochondria.