I am an Academy Research Fellow and Principal Investigator at the University of Helsinki. My research focuses on how iron metabolism, redox metabolism, and mitochondrial function shape tissue-specific energy homeostasis and ageing. I began my career with a Ph.D. in Clinical Genetics, uncovering the molecular and clinical basis of mitochondrial diseases. As a postdoctoral researcher in Finland with Professor Anu Suomalainen Wartiovaara, I investigated how mitochondrial dysfunction remodels tissue physiology and systemic metabolism. Since 2024, I lead an independent laboratory integrating molecular biology, patient-derived models, and metabolic profiling to map how disturbances in iron and redox metabolism drive metabolic vulnerability and disease progression. Our goal is to define mechanisms of metabolic resilience and to develop interventions that restore cellular function and promote healthy ageing.
I'm a doctoral researcher investigating the metabolic rewiring of brown adipose tissue and how mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to aging processes. In my work, I explore how cellular energetics shift in brown fat under stress and over time, and how these shifts impact systemic physiology via organ crosstalk. I aim to uncover mechanisms by which mitochondrial derangements in brown adipocytes influence distant tissues by altering endocrine or metabolic signaling between fat and other organs.
Outside of my research, I have a strong interest in fitness and healthy living. I enjoy translating insights from metabolism and biology into my own routines, treating daily habits as an extension of my scientific curiosity. When I'm not analyzing data, you can often find me at the gym, exploring new recipes, or spending time outdoors.
I did my Master's in Molecular Biology at the University of Debrecen, Hungary, where I worked on scorpion toxins that modulate neuronal and potentially cardiac ion channels. I have research experience in cellular electrophysiology, and during this time, I became fascinated by how cellular stress and energy metabolism influence physiology, which sparked my interest in mitochondrial diseases. My research aims to explore how age-related changes in the blood system influence organ function, metabolism, and systemic resilience.
I'm working as Laboratory Technician in the Khan lab.