RNA decay and surveillance in human mitochondria

Dr Roman Szczesny graduated from the University of Warsaw in 2004 and joined a PhD programme at the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, PAS. In his thesis he showed that human RNA helicase SUV3 is an essential enzyme for decay and surveillance of mitochondrial RNA (mtRNA). He also described cell death pathways that are activated upon SUV3 silencing. During that time he received several scholarships to work in France and Finland. After obtaining his PhD, he continued to work on mtRNA decay. He supervised the project that led to the identification of the long sought mitochondrial ribonuclease – PNPase, and the discovery of new structures named D-foci where mtRNA degradation occurs. In 2009 he joined Andrzej Dziembowski’s laboratory where he studied mechanisms responsible for RNA surveillance. Having established his group at the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics PAS in Warsaw he continues his research into the metabolism of human mitochondrial RNA. His main focus is unraveling mitochondrial gene expression regulation by identification and functional analysis of novel factors engaged in the process. In his research he combines molecular biology, biochemistry and high-throughput methods, including genome-wide siRNA screenings, which provide broad insight into various steps of mitochondrial gene regulation.