Radi Isola, Rafael

Working area

I investigate the biochemistry and metabolism of oxidation-reduction (redox) processes and how molecules such as molecular oxygen, oxygen radicals, nitric oxide and peroxynitrite participate in cell homeostasis, signal transduction and toxicity at the molecular, mitochondrial, and cellular levels. To this goal, I also participate on the development and characterization of probes and methods for the detection of short-lived reactive species and intermediates and final products formed from the reactions of oxidants and electrophiles with biomolecules. One of the focuses of the work is to understand alterations of cell respiration, mitochondrial redox and energy homeostasis, oxidant formation and their contribution to disease states and aging. Oxidative posttranslational modifications in proteins are investigated with functional and structural biology approaches. I also study the biochemical properties and actions of natural and synthetic redox-active molecules both in vitro and in vivo. Our work is aimed to define biochemical mechanisms that underscore the role of redox events in human physiology and pathology, in particular in inflammatory, infectious and degenerative diseases and the aging process. In parallel with these investigations, we search for novel therapeutic strategies that can modulate redox homeostasis, with emphasis in mitochondrial-targeted actions.