University of Helsinki

Post Doc Olga Blokhina

olga.blokhina(at)helsinki.fi

Department of Biological and
Environmental Sciences
Viikki Biocenter, Viikinkaari 1,
P.O. Box 65
FIN-00014 Helsinki
Finland

Tel. + 358 (0)9 191 59585
Fax. + 358 (0) 9 191 57788

The main focus of my research is physiology of plant resistance to abiotic stress and
signal transduction mechanisms underlying the phenomenon of adaptation and/or cell death
under oxygen deprivation. We have studied functioning of enzymatic and non-enzymatic
antioxidant systems, formation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation
processes.

The investigation of functional activity of plant membranes under anoxic conditions has focused our research interests on mitochondria. In particularly, we are interested in the regulation and induction of mitochondrial permeability transition pore as a major switch between adaptation & cell death. The regulation of the pore is achieved via reactive oxygen species, activation of mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter and modification of redox milieu.

We are also involved in the investigation of the signaling downstream mitochondria:
i.e. the release of proteinaceous apoptotic signals from mitochondria, regulation of Ca2+ level in the cytoplasm and DNA fragmentation and nuclear degradation. We have used a range of physiological, molecular biology and microscopic techniques: monitoring of oxygen and Ca2+ fluxes in isolated mitochondria and protoplasts, electron and confocal microscopy, Western blotting, DNA fragmentation and TUNEL assays.