Haorong Li, Graduate Student, Hao Lab, GW Department of Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry Presents:  Haorong Li, Graduate Student, Hao Lab, GW Department of Chemistry

Mitochondria are essential organelles responsible for energy production, cellular metabolism, and the regulation of critical signaling pathways. Mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in a wide range of disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic syndromes, and cancer. However, the intricate molecular mechanisms governing mitochondrial biology remain incompletely understood, largely due to the technical challenges of probing dynamic interactions within the organelle and across organelles in living cells. My research focuses on developing and applying MS-based omics and proximity labeling (PL) techniques to systematically investigate mitochondrial proteomes and protein interaction networks. By integrating high-resolution MS analyses, chemical biology tools, and advanced sample preparation pipelines, our approaches capture dynamic changes in protein abundance, localization, and interactions under diverse physiological and pathological conditions. These methods pinpoint key regulators of mitochondrial function, illuminate inter-organelle communication, and deepen our understanding of the molecular events underlying mitochondrial dysfunction. Ultimately, our research aims to improve diagnostics and targeted therapeutic strategies to restore or modulate mitochondrial homeostasis in human disease.

BIO

Haorong Li received his B.S. in Chemistry from China Agricultural University and his M.S. in Chemistry from Miami University. In 2020, he joined Dr. Ling Hao’s lab, where he focuses on developing mass spectrometry-based omics and proximity labeling methods to study mitochondrial biology. His research aims to enhance the understanding of mitochondrial function in human diseases through innovative analytical approaches.