Biography: 

Professor Peter Adhihetty joined the College of Health and Human Performance in January 2009 following his postdoctoral training in the Department of Neurology and Neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. Dr. Peter Adhihetty’s general research is focused on the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate the function of mitochondria (cell organelles that produce energy). Although mitochondria are known as “the powerhouses of the cell”, mitochondria can also paradoxically participate in programmed cell death, termed apoptosis. Mitochondrially-mediated cell death and mitochondrial dysfunction are now implicated in numerous human diseases and aging. In particular, Dr. Adhihetty is interested in apoptosis within skeletal muscle and neural tissue with relation to losses in muscle mass (i.e. aging, physical inactivity) and loss of neurons in neurodegenerative disorders (i.e. Huntington’s), respectively. Additionally, Dr. Adhihetty’s research will investigate the beneficial exercise-induced adaptations to potentially improve impaired mitochondrial function in these various diseases/conditions. By unraveling the underlying molecular pathways, Dr. Adhihetty hopes that his research, in collaboration with others in the College of Health and Human Performance, may lead to the development of therapeutic interventions which will prevent and/or delay the progression of particular diseases/conditions. Dr. Adhihetty has published in Physiological Genomics, Neuromolecular Medicine, American Journal of Physiology, Journal of Applied Physiology, Experimental Physiology, among other professional journals.