Dr. John Elrod and Lewis Katz School of Medicine Researchers Show for the First Time That MCUB Protein May Hold Promise for Treatment of Conditions Featuring Calcium Overload

John W. Elrod, PhD, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Associate Professor in the Center for Translational Medicine at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM), is the senior investigator on a new study published online in the journal Circulation. Dr. Elrod and a team of LKSOM researchers showed for the first time that a specialized emergency stress responder protein, known as MCUB, temporarily decreases harmful levels of calcium transport into mitochondria, the energy-generating batteries of cells. Their research identifies MCUB as a promising new target for investigation and treatment of conditions – such as heart failure, heart attack, stroke, and neurodegeneration – that feature calcium overload and cell death. Media outlets including Scienmag, ScienceDaily, and Science Codex publicized the findings.