Danesh Laboratory

The Laboratory for Mitochondrial Biology in Kidney Disease at UT MD Anderson investigates the fundamental mechanisms by which mitochondrial dysfunction drives the development and progression of diabetic kidney disease. A central goal of the laboratory is to understand how alterations in mitochondrial structure, metabolism and signaling contribute to cellular injury in the kidney, particularly in podocytes and tubular epithelial cells. We integrate mechanistic biology with quantitative approaches to define how mitochondrial dynamics, bioenergetics and redox balance regulate kidney cell fate under diabetic stress.

Our research is primarily experimental, with strong integration of quantitative and systems-level approaches. We use a range of experimental systems, including human kidney organoids, genetically engineered mouse models and cultured podocytes and tubular epithelial cells. We also leverage patient-derived samples to ensure clinical relevance and translational impact.

Our main interests include:

• Mitochondrial dynamics and cristae remodeling in kidney cells
• Bioenergetic failure and metabolic reprogramming in diabetic kidney disease
• Ferroptosis and lipid peroxidation in tubular and glomerular compartments
• Organelle crosstalk, including mitochondria-endothelial cell interactions

Our main tools include:

• Super-resolution microscopy and electron microscopy
• Spatial metabolomics and lipidomics
• Functional bioenergetic assays
• CRISPR-based genetic screens
• AAV-mediated gene delivery
• Computational models to understand mitochondrial network behavior and redox dynamics

The laboratory is embedded within the multidisciplinary environment of UT MD Anderson, collaborating closely with investigators in cancer biology, biostatistics and bioengineering. Our work is highly interdisciplinary, engaging trainees and collaborators from medicine, molecular biology, computational biology and engineering to advance a comprehensive understanding of mitochondrial dysfunction in kidney disease.