Dr Alexander Anderson
Dr Alexander Anderson is a Career Development Fellow in the Cell Biology Division at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology (MRC LMB). His research investigates how metabolism activates broader regulatory programs within cells. He is interested in the role of mitochondria in brain development and explores the cell-specific specialisation of mitochondrial activity in mature neural cell types.
Alex completed his BSc (Hons) and PhD in the Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology and The Bio21 Institute of Molecular Science and Biotechnology at The University of Melbourne. His graduate research characterised mechanisms of protein import in human mitochondria and cell type-specific mitochondrial activity. Understanding how mitochondrial activity is tailored to the needs of cells in different tissues and organs is critical in tackling the clinical heterogeneity of mitochondrial diseases. As part of this work, Alex developed assays and expertise in mass spectrometry-based proteomic techniques for investigating protein trafficking, turnover, membrane integration, oxidation, interactions, and complex formation.
In 2023, Alex joined the research group of Dr Madeline Lancaster as a postdoctoral scientist. The Lancaster laboratory studies human brain development in cerebral organoid models, observing how brain cell types and architecture develops from stem cells. These models enable the group to investigate human-specific evolutionary differences that contribute to our large and complex brains. Alex’s current research investigates the contribution of mitochondria and metabolism to the emergence of different brain cell types during development. He is interested in whether metabolism influences the tempo of brain development and is fundamental in the evolution of our exceptionally large brains. Alex is eager to collaborate to further develop the investigation of cerebral organoid models through the application of new experimental and bio-engineering techniques.
Select publications
- Anderson, A.J., Crameri, J.J., Ang, C., Malcolm, T.R., Kang, Y., Baker, M.J., Palmer, C.S., Sharpe, A.J., Formosa, L.E., Ganio, K., Baker, M., McDevitt, C., Ryan, M.T., Maher, M.J., Stojanovski, D. (2023) Human Tim8a, Tim8b and Tim13 are auxiliary assembly factors of mature Complex IV. EMBO Reports. e56430.
- Anderson, A.J., Jackson, T.D., Stroud, D.A., and Stojanovski, D. (2019) Mitochondria – hubs for regulating cellular
biochemistry: emerging concepts and networks. Open Biology. 9, 190126. - Kang, Y., Anderson, A.J., Jackson, T.D., Palmer, C.S., De Souza, D.P., Fujihara, K.M., Stait, T., Frazier, A.E., Clemons, N.J., Tull, D., Thorburn, D.R., McConville, M.J., Ryan, M.T., Stroud, D.A., and Stojanovski, D. (2019) Function of hTim8a in complex IV assembly in neuronal cells provides insight into pathomechanism underlying Mohr-Tranebjærg syndrome. eLife. 8, e48828.
- Baker, M.J., Uwe Blau, K., Anderson, A.J., Palmer, C.S, Fielden, L., Crameri, J.J., Milenkovic, D., Thorburn, D.R.,
Frazier, A.E., Langer, T., Stojanovski, D. (2024) CLPB disaggregase dysfunction impacts the functional integrity of the proteolytic SPY complex. J Cell Biol. 223 (3): e202305087 - Palmer, C.S., Anderson, A.J., Stojanovski, D. (2021) Mitochondrial protein import dysfunction: mitochondrial disease, neurodegenerative disease and cancer. FEBS Letters. 595: 1107-1131.
- Palmer, C.S., Lou, J., Kouskousis, B., Pandzic, E., Anderson, A.J., Kang, Y., Hinde, E., Stojanovski, D. (2021)
Super-resolution microscopy reveals arrangement of inner-membrane protein complexes in mammalian mitochondria. Journal of Cell Science. 134(13).
Select Awards
- Medical Research Council Career Development Fellowship, 2023
- Bill Sawyer Medal for Excellence in PhD Research, 2023
- AussieMit Early Career Investigator award, 2022
