Medlock

The work in my laboratory deals with the biosynthesis of heme and it regulation. Heme is an essential cofactor for almost all living organisms and participates in a variety of reactions including the regulation central metabolic processes, oxygen binding and transport and reduction/oxidation reactions. While a great deal is known in reference to heme synthesis, much less is known about intra- and intercellular trafficking of pathway substrates and products. The current studies in my laboratory include the identification and characterization of porphyrin and heme transporters and understanding the spatial and temporal regulation of heme synthesis in eukaryotes. Revealing the complete picture of total body heme homeostasis is important in understanding the role of heme in organismal growth and development and may impact the treatment of diseases including anemias, porphyrias, cancers and infectious diseases.