Peter Tsvetkov

The Tsvetkov Lab investigates how metal homeostasis and metabolic regulation intersect to control cell fate, with a particular focus on copper biology and mitochondrial metabolism. We combine high-throughput chemical-genomic approaches with molecular and cell biology to uncover nutrient-related vulnerabilities in cancer and other diseases. Our work centers on two major areas: (1) how copper regulates cell death and stress responses, and (2) how a unique lipid-based post-translational modification—protein lipoylation—governs mitochondrial function and viability. We are also developing pharmacologic and synthetic strategies to manipulate these pathways, aiming to reveal novel biology and identify new therapeutic opportunities.