Speaker: James A. Olzmann, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley

Time: 10:00-11:00 a.m., Nov 11, 2024, GMT+8

Venue: B117, Research Complex #2, PKU

Abstract: 

In this seminar, Dr. Olzmann will present an overview of recent discoveries that advance our understanding of the mechanisms that govern cellular lipid homeostasis, focusing on the storage of neutral lipids within lipid droplets and the oxidative lipid damage that triggers cell death via ferroptosis.
He will delve into the role of lipid droplets as essential cellular reservoirs that manage lipid storage and secretion within hepatocytes, maintaining balance to meet cellular metabolic demands. Disruptions in these processes are increasingly linked to metabolic disorders and other diseases. Dr. Olzmann will also highlight recent discoveries from genetic screening approaches that have been instrumental in identifying core regulatory mechanisms that shape cellular responses to oxidative lipid damage and promote ferroptosis resistance, particularly in cancer cells. These methods not only deepen our understanding of lipid biology and cellular resilience but also pinpoint therapeutically relevant targets, whose inhibition could enable innovative interventions for the treatment of drug-resistant cancers. The seminar will underscore how these discoveries may be harnessed to develop new strategies for treating conditions driven by dysfunctional lipid metabolism and oxidative stress.

Source: School of Life Sciences, PKU