About the Mears Lab

Our lab is eager to resolve long-standing questions about the key factors that alter mitochondrial structure and physiology, leading to organelle dysfunction in human pathologies. To this end, we investigate proteins that regulate mitochondrial dynamics to provide mechanistic insight into the regulation of the mitochondrial fission complex and the functional roles of proteins that drive this process.

News and Events

Summer 2026: The Mears Lab welcomes new faces!

We have new colleagues joining us in the lab. 

• Mallory Joyce, a rising sophomore in the Biochemistry Program, has started working in the lab. 
• Anjani Panigrahi, a HS student at Aurora HS, is joining us through the YES Program

June 2026: Isaiah Waiters is moving to DC

Isaiah Waiters completed the ACS Post-Bac Program, and he will be starting his MD training at Howard University this summer. 

He was also selected for the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) through the military and commisioned earlier this year. 

June 2025: Drp1 Lattice structure is out in J Mol Biol

Excellent collaboration with Stagg Lab looks are novel features of the Drp1 lattice interacting with lipid nanotubes in vitro. 
J Mol Biol link

January 2025: Yuli Successfully Defends!

Dec 2024: New paper out in J Cell Science

Yuli's work on Fis1 regulation of mitochondrial dynamics and function in response to radiation stress is out as a preprint 
J Cell Sci link

She was also featured in a First Person Interview
J Cell Sci link

And she got the cover!  
J Cell Sci link