Faculty Appointments
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
Education
Ph.D., Neuroscience, Stanford University, Stanford, CaliforniaB.A., cognitive neuroscience, Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa
Office Address
4260A MRB III
465 21st Ave. South
Nashville, TN 37232
465 21st Ave. South
Nashville, TN 37232
Research Description
Disease can be defined as a state in which the body’s ability to maintain homeostasis of molecular and cellular processes within their physiologically “normal” range is compromised. We use state of the art approaches including genomics, high resolution imaging, and systems biology to study mitochondrial homeostasis. Our short-term goal is to provide fundamental insights into mechanisms of mitochondrial homeostasis and the consequences of its breakdown. Our long-term goal is to provide an evolutionary and a conceptual framework for understanding why and under what physiological circumstances mitochondrial homeostasis collapses.
Research Keywords
AREAS: Mitochondria, genetics, development, germline, female reproduction and reproductive biology, metabolism, homeostasis, transcription, RNA, evolution, genetic conflict, selfish DNA, positive selection, adaptive evolution, mitochondrial DNA, replication, mtDNA copy number, aging and age related phenotypes, diet and nutrition, stress responses, epigenetics, genetic diseases, mito-nuclear interactions, diabetes. TECHNIQUES: genetic models, molecular biology, knockout models, transgenics, transcriptomics, pharmacology, forward genetic screens, confocal and high resolution live cell imaging, FACS, systems biology, genomics, qPCR and droplet digital PCR, theoretical models, experimental evolution, competition experiments.
Publications
Held JP, Feng G, Saunders BR, Pereira CV, Burkewitz K, Patel MR. A tRNA processing enzyme is a key regulator of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response. Elife. 2022 Apr 4/22/2022; 11: PMID: 35451962, PMCID: PMC9064297, PII: 71634, DOI: 10.7554/eLife.71634, ISSN: 2050-084X.
Pereira CV, Gitschlag BL, Patel MR. Cellular mechanisms of mtDNA heteroplasmy dynamics. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol [print-electronic]. 2021 Oct; 56(5): 510-25. PMID: 34120542, DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2021.1934812, ISSN: 1549-7798.
Kirby CS, Patel MR. Elevated mitochondrial DNA copy number found in ubiquinone-deficient clk-1 mutants is not rescued by ubiquinone precursor 2-4-dihydroxybenzoate. Mitochondrion [print-electronic]. 2021 May; 58: 38-48. PMID: 33581333, PMCID: PMC8113126, PII: S1567-7249(21)00008-8, DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2021.02.001, ISSN: 1872-8278.
Gitschlag BL, Tate AT, Patel MR. Nutrient status shapes selfish mitochondrial genome dynamics across different levels of selection. Elife. 2020 Sep 9/22/2020; 9: PMID: 32959778, PMCID: PMC7508553, PII: 56686, DOI: 10.7554/eLife.56686, ISSN: 2050-084X.
Held JP, Patel MR. Functional conservation of mitochondrial RNA levels despite divergent mtDNA organization. BMC Res Notes. 2020 Jul 7/11/2020; 13(1): 334. PMID: 32653018, PMCID: PMC7353721, PII: 10.1186/s13104-020-05177-0, DOI: 10.1186/s13104-020-05177-0, ISSN: 1756-0500.
Gitschlag BL, Patel MR. Mitochondria: A Microcosm of Darwinian Competition. Curr. Biol. 2019 Dec 12/16/2019; 29(24): R1316-R1318. PMID: 31846681, PII: S0960-9822(19)31463-0, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.11.024, ISSN: 1879-0445.
Patel MR. Inheritance: Male mtDNA Just Can't Catch a Break. Curr. Biol. 2017 Apr 4/3/2017; 27(7): R264-R266. PMID: 28376332, PII: S0960-9822(17)30228-2, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.02.057, ISSN: 1879-0445.
Patel MR, Miriyala GK, Littleton AJ, Yang H, Trinh K, Young JM, Kennedy SR, Yamashita YM, Pallanck LJ, Malik HS. A mitochondrial DNA hypomorph of cytochrome oxidase specifically impairs male fertility in Drosophila melanogaster. Elife. 2016 Aug 8/2/2016; 5: PMID: 27481326, PMCID: PMC4970871, DOI: 10.7554/eLife.16923, ISSN: 2050-084X.
Gitschlag BL, Kirby CS, Samuels DC, Gangula RD, Mallal SA, Patel MR. Homeostatic Responses Regulate Selfish Mitochondrial Genome Dynamics in C. elegans. Cell Metab. 2016 Jul 7/12/2016; 24(1): 91-103. PMID: 27411011, PMCID: PMC5287496, PII: S1550-4131(16)30294-7, DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2016.06.008, ISSN: 1932-7420.
Harris KG, Morosky SA, Drummond CG, Patel M, Kim C, Stolz DB, Bergelson JM, Cherry S, Coyne CB. RIP3 Regulates Autophagy and Promotes Coxsackievirus B3 Infection of Intestinal Epithelial Cells. Cell Host Microbe. 2015 Aug 8/12/2015; 18(2): 221-32. PMID: 26269957, PMCID: PMC4562276, PII: S1931-3128(15)00299-1, DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2015.07.007, ISSN: 1934-6069.
Chia PH, Patel MR, Wagner OI, Klopfenstein DR, Shen K. Intramolecular regulation of presynaptic scaffold protein SYD-2/liprin-a. Mol. Cell. Neurosci [print-electronic]. 2013 Sep; 56: 76-84. PMID: 23541703, PMCID: PMC3930023, PII: S1044-7431(13)00039-0, DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2013.03.004, ISSN: 1095-9327.
Chia PH, Patel MR, Shen K. NAB-1 instructs synapse assembly by linking adhesion molecules and F-actin to active zone proteins. Nat. Neurosci. 2012 Feb; 15(2): 234-42. PMID: 22231427, PMCID: PMC3848868, PII: nn.2991, DOI: 10.1038/nn.2991, ISSN: 1546-1726.
Patel MR, Loo YM, Horner SM, Gale M, Malik HS. Convergent evolution of escape from hepaciviral antagonism in primates. PLoS Biol [print-electronic]. 2012; 10(3): e1001282. PMID: 22427742, PMCID: PMC3302847, PII: PBIOLOGY-D-11-03907, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001282, ISSN: 1545-7885.
Patel MR, Emerman M, Malik HS. Paleovirology - ghosts and gifts of viruses past. Curr Opin Virol. 2011 Oct; 1(4): 304-9. PMID: 22003379, PMCID: PMC3190193, DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2011.06.007, ISSN: 1879-6265.
Patel MR, Shen K. Neurite extension: starting at the finish line. Cell. 2009 Apr 4/17/2009; 137(2): 207-9. PMID: 19379686, PMCID: PMC3083850, PII: S0092-8674(09)00383-3, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2009.04.001, ISSN: 1097-4172.
Patel MR, Shen K. RSY-1 is a local inhibitor of presynaptic assembly in C. elegans. Science. 2009 Mar 3/13/2009; 323(5920): 1500-3. PMID: 19286562, PMCID: PMC3087376, PII: 323/5920/1500, DOI: 10.1126/science.1169025, ISSN: 1095-9203.
Patel MR, Lehrman EK, Poon VY, Crump JG, Zhen M, Bargmann CI, Shen K. Hierarchical assembly of presynaptic components in defined C. elegans synapses. Nat. Neurosci [print-electronic]. 2006 Dec; 9(12): 1488-98. PMID: 17115039, PMCID: PMC3917495, PII: nn1806, DOI: 10.1038/nn1806, ISSN: 1097-6256.
Pereira CV, Gitschlag BL, Patel MR. Cellular mechanisms of mtDNA heteroplasmy dynamics. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol [print-electronic]. 2021 Oct; 56(5): 510-25. PMID: 34120542, DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2021.1934812, ISSN: 1549-7798.
Kirby CS, Patel MR. Elevated mitochondrial DNA copy number found in ubiquinone-deficient clk-1 mutants is not rescued by ubiquinone precursor 2-4-dihydroxybenzoate. Mitochondrion [print-electronic]. 2021 May; 58: 38-48. PMID: 33581333, PMCID: PMC8113126, PII: S1567-7249(21)00008-8, DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2021.02.001, ISSN: 1872-8278.
Gitschlag BL, Tate AT, Patel MR. Nutrient status shapes selfish mitochondrial genome dynamics across different levels of selection. Elife. 2020 Sep 9/22/2020; 9: PMID: 32959778, PMCID: PMC7508553, PII: 56686, DOI: 10.7554/eLife.56686, ISSN: 2050-084X.
Held JP, Patel MR. Functional conservation of mitochondrial RNA levels despite divergent mtDNA organization. BMC Res Notes. 2020 Jul 7/11/2020; 13(1): 334. PMID: 32653018, PMCID: PMC7353721, PII: 10.1186/s13104-020-05177-0, DOI: 10.1186/s13104-020-05177-0, ISSN: 1756-0500.
Gitschlag BL, Patel MR. Mitochondria: A Microcosm of Darwinian Competition. Curr. Biol. 2019 Dec 12/16/2019; 29(24): R1316-R1318. PMID: 31846681, PII: S0960-9822(19)31463-0, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.11.024, ISSN: 1879-0445.
Patel MR. Inheritance: Male mtDNA Just Can't Catch a Break. Curr. Biol. 2017 Apr 4/3/2017; 27(7): R264-R266. PMID: 28376332, PII: S0960-9822(17)30228-2, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.02.057, ISSN: 1879-0445.
Patel MR, Miriyala GK, Littleton AJ, Yang H, Trinh K, Young JM, Kennedy SR, Yamashita YM, Pallanck LJ, Malik HS. A mitochondrial DNA hypomorph of cytochrome oxidase specifically impairs male fertility in Drosophila melanogaster. Elife. 2016 Aug 8/2/2016; 5: PMID: 27481326, PMCID: PMC4970871, DOI: 10.7554/eLife.16923, ISSN: 2050-084X.
Gitschlag BL, Kirby CS, Samuels DC, Gangula RD, Mallal SA, Patel MR. Homeostatic Responses Regulate Selfish Mitochondrial Genome Dynamics in C. elegans. Cell Metab. 2016 Jul 7/12/2016; 24(1): 91-103. PMID: 27411011, PMCID: PMC5287496, PII: S1550-4131(16)30294-7, DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2016.06.008, ISSN: 1932-7420.
Harris KG, Morosky SA, Drummond CG, Patel M, Kim C, Stolz DB, Bergelson JM, Cherry S, Coyne CB. RIP3 Regulates Autophagy and Promotes Coxsackievirus B3 Infection of Intestinal Epithelial Cells. Cell Host Microbe. 2015 Aug 8/12/2015; 18(2): 221-32. PMID: 26269957, PMCID: PMC4562276, PII: S1931-3128(15)00299-1, DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2015.07.007, ISSN: 1934-6069.
Chia PH, Patel MR, Wagner OI, Klopfenstein DR, Shen K. Intramolecular regulation of presynaptic scaffold protein SYD-2/liprin-a. Mol. Cell. Neurosci [print-electronic]. 2013 Sep; 56: 76-84. PMID: 23541703, PMCID: PMC3930023, PII: S1044-7431(13)00039-0, DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2013.03.004, ISSN: 1095-9327.
Chia PH, Patel MR, Shen K. NAB-1 instructs synapse assembly by linking adhesion molecules and F-actin to active zone proteins. Nat. Neurosci. 2012 Feb; 15(2): 234-42. PMID: 22231427, PMCID: PMC3848868, PII: nn.2991, DOI: 10.1038/nn.2991, ISSN: 1546-1726.
Patel MR, Loo YM, Horner SM, Gale M, Malik HS. Convergent evolution of escape from hepaciviral antagonism in primates. PLoS Biol [print-electronic]. 2012; 10(3): e1001282. PMID: 22427742, PMCID: PMC3302847, PII: PBIOLOGY-D-11-03907, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001282, ISSN: 1545-7885.
Patel MR, Emerman M, Malik HS. Paleovirology - ghosts and gifts of viruses past. Curr Opin Virol. 2011 Oct; 1(4): 304-9. PMID: 22003379, PMCID: PMC3190193, DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2011.06.007, ISSN: 1879-6265.
Patel MR, Shen K. Neurite extension: starting at the finish line. Cell. 2009 Apr 4/17/2009; 137(2): 207-9. PMID: 19379686, PMCID: PMC3083850, PII: S0092-8674(09)00383-3, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2009.04.001, ISSN: 1097-4172.
Patel MR, Shen K. RSY-1 is a local inhibitor of presynaptic assembly in C. elegans. Science. 2009 Mar 3/13/2009; 323(5920): 1500-3. PMID: 19286562, PMCID: PMC3087376, PII: 323/5920/1500, DOI: 10.1126/science.1169025, ISSN: 1095-9203.
Patel MR, Lehrman EK, Poon VY, Crump JG, Zhen M, Bargmann CI, Shen K. Hierarchical assembly of presynaptic components in defined C. elegans synapses. Nat. Neurosci [print-electronic]. 2006 Dec; 9(12): 1488-98. PMID: 17115039, PMCID: PMC3917495, PII: nn1806, DOI: 10.1038/nn1806, ISSN: 1097-6256.
Available Postdoctoral Position Details
Posted: 8/14/2020
We have created a unique lab community. We are collegial but work independently. We help each other, take interest in each other’s research projects, and celebrate each other’s successes. But we each have our own separate projects that we are the primary intellectual drivers of. Come help us sustain a socially positive and an intellectually vibrant lab environment. We are always looking for potential postdoctoral candidates. Reach out to Maulik directly with inquiries.