Qualifications
- Dr. Med. Universität Freiburg
- Habilitation (Universität Greifswald)
- GMC Specialist Registration in General Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology
- MA (Cantab)
Professor Thomas Krieg
Professor Thomas Krieg is a College Lecturer in Medicine at Magdalene.
Mitochondria are the energy-producing organelles within the cell. During a heart attack or stroke, blockage of an artery prevents blood flow to part of the organ, a condition termed ischaemia. As a result, the mitochondria in this tissue are deprived of oxygen and energy production stops. We have demonstrated that one of the mitochondrial fuels, succinate, is build up during ischaemia and decreases again rapidly as soon as the blood flow is restored. During this so-called reperfusion phase succinate is consumed by the mitochondria via an alternative route that does not produce energy but instead produces oxygen radicals that destroy the heart or brain tissue. Because lost cells cannot be regenerated the patient is left with a weakened heart and heart failure often occurs, or, in the case of a stroke, with a life-changing disability. Our research is directed toward identifying therapies that prevent cell death in heart attack or stroke and the subsequent devastating consequences for the organ.
Professional Affiliations
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Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC)
Selected Publications
Chouchani ET, Pell VR, Gaude E, Aksentijević D, Sundier SY, Robb EL, Logan A, Nadtochiy SM, Ord ENJ, Smith AC, Eyassu F, Shirley R, Hu C-H, Dare AJ, James AM, Rogatti S, Hartley RC, Eaton S, Costa ASH, Brookes PS, Davidson SM, Duchen MR, Saeb-Parsy K, Shattock MJ, Robinson AJ, Work LM, Frezza C, Krieg T, Murphy MP. Ischaemic accumulation of succinate controls reperfusion injury through mitochondrial ROS. Nature 2014;515:431-5. doi:10.1038/nature13909.
Prag HA, Aksentijevic D, Dannhorn A, Giles AV, Mulvey JF, Sauchanka O, Du L, Bates G, Reinhold J, Kula-Alwar D, Xu Z, Pellerin L, Goodwin RJA, Murphy MP, Krieg T. Ischemia-Selective Cardioprotection by Malonate for Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury. Circ Res. 2022;131(6):528-541. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.121.320717.
Mottahedin A, Prag HA, Dannhorn A, Mair R, Schmidt C, Yang M, Sorby-Adams A, Lee JJ, Burger N, Kulaveerasingam D, Huang MM, Pluchino S, Peruzzotti-Jametti L, Goodwin R, Frezza C, Murphy MP, Krieg T. Targeting succinate metabolism to decrease brain injury upon mechanical thrombectomy treatment of ischemic stroke. Redox Biol. 2023;59:102600. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2023.102600.