Werner Koopman appointed special professor of Molecular Mitochondrial Bioenergetics

Koopman will study the impact of food, vitamin and related intervention strategies on mitochondrial functioning and whole-body bioenergetics in animals and humans. Delivering these insights is relevant to better understand human and animal health as well as for mitigation of mitochondrial, aging-related and other diseases. 

Koopman will specifically focus on how the mitochondrial Nicotinamide Nucleotide Transhydrogenase (NNT) protein connects mitochondrial energy production to oxidative stress mitigation and signalling. The new special professor will also work on how mitochondrial (ultra)structure is linked to mitochondrial bioreactions (this includes development of artificial mitochondrial structures) and how cellular and animal thermointervention affects energy metabolism. 

The Molecular Mitochondrial Bioenergetics chair resides under the Human and Animal Physiology group of prof. Jaap Keijer.

Werner Koopman (1969) studied biochemistry and obtained his PhD in 2000 at Radboud University, focusing on calcium signalling in neuroendocrine cells. As a postdoc, assistant professor and associate professor at Radboudumc, he developed advanced microscopy and related analyses to study and manipulate mitochondrial structure and function (‘morphofunction’). 

Koopman’s current research focuses on the specific role of mitochondria in cellular energy generation and on how to keep mitochondria healthy. This includes understanding how biochemical reactions inside mitochondria occur, and how they are affected by mitochondrial metabolic status as well as mitochondrial shape and internal structure.