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Marek Michalak is a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Alberta. He holds a Ph.D. from the Nencki Institute and an M.Sc. from the University of Warsaw. His research focuses on the structure and function of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes, exploring their role in controlling intracellular signaling and communication among organelles. Michalak's lab has contributed significantly to the understanding of protein synthesis and folding, gene expression regulation, and calcium homeostasis. Notably, he has discovered the critical role of ER resident chaperones in cardiac development and pathophysiology. His long-term goal is to elucidate ER stress and signaling events that influence cellular pathways relevant to cardiac and neuronal health, aiming to inform pharmacological and genetic therapy strategies for human diseases. Current research projects include investigations into ER stress modulators, the implications of calreticulin on cardiac physiological processes, and the role of ER calcium homeostasis in cellular signaling and cholesterol metabolism. Michalak has published extensively on these topics, contributing to a significant body of work demonstrating the interactions between ER stress and various physiological and pathological states.
Department: Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Management