Chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology | University of California, Davis

Dr. Joi Nunnari is a pioneer in mitochondrial biology. She was the first to decipher the mechanisms responsible for mitochondrial division and fusion. As chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at UC Davis, Dr. Nunnari is dedicated to studying how the behavior of mitochondria is controlled in cells. Her work reveals how mitochondrial dynamics influence cell survival, differentiation, and disease, as disruptions in these processes are linked to numerous human disorders.

Fascinated by the role of mitochondria in human evolution, Dr. Jodi Nunnari has studied this organelle for her entire career. Today her research is focused on how mitochondrial behavior is controlled within cells.

In addition to producing ATP and contributing to cellular stress responses, mitochondrial functions influence an organism’s physiology by regulating communication between cells and tissues. Recently mitochondrial dysfunction has emerged as a crucial factor in some neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders.

Dr. Nunnari’s lab examines the range of physiological functions of mitochondrial division and fusion, focusing on how the structure is established within cells, and understanding how the genome is organized within the organelle.

Examining complex mitochondrial structures, organization and dynamics to reliably predict future behavior and function requires information from thousands of phenotypes (the sets of observable traits of an organism).

Dr. Jodi Nunnari’s lab uses machine learning tools that handle complex image analysis and pattern identification. The technology helped them quickly process the necessary number of samples required for deep insights into how aspects of cell biology are interconnected.

ZEISS is committed to automation and AI in microscopy thanks to powerful tools like the Celldiscoverer 7. Such tools will aid in Nunnari’s breakthrough research into what drives mitochondria behavior in both healthy and disease states.

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