Roman Polishchuk: A Pioneer in Copper Homeostasis and Cellular Transport Mechanisms
Roman Polishchuk’s groundbreaking work has earned him global recognition, particularly for his research on copper metabolism and its role in genetic disorders. In 2024, he was honored with the David A. Danks Award for Distinguished Research on Copper Homeostasis and its Disorders, a prestigious accolade named after Australian clinician-scientist Dr. David Danks, who made seminal contributions to understanding diseases like Menkes disease. Previous recipients of this award include some of the most distinguished scientists in copper metabolism research, such as Julian Mercer, Dennis Thiele, and Svetlana Lutsenko.
Upon receiving the award, Polishchuk expressed his deep honor in joining the ranks of these influential scientists and credited the unwavering support of TIGEM (Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine), where he has been leading a laboratory since 2009 and overseeing the Advanced Microscopy and Imaging Core. TIGEM has provided a fertile environment for his research on the pathological mechanisms underlying diseases like Wilson disease, a rare genetic disorder that causes toxic copper accumulation in the liver and brain.
Contributions to Copper Homeostasis Research
Polishchuk has been a pioneer in the study of copper metabolism, making significant discoveries that link intracellular membrane trafficking to copper regulation. Copper is essential for various cellular processes, but imbalances in its levels can lead to serious diseases such as Wilson disease and Menkes disease. His lab has focused on understanding how mutations disrupt the function of copper transporters, preventing them from reaching the correct cellular sites, thereby impairing copper balance and leading to disease.
A major innovation from his lab has been the use of Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (CLEM) technology, which integrates live-cell imaging and electron microscopy. This approach has provided unprecedented insights into real-time cellular transport dynamics, offering new diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities for disorders of copper metabolism.
Expanding the Role of Cu ATPases in Cancer Research
In addition to genetic disorders, recent studies suggest that Cu ATPases play an important role in oncogenesis and tumor resistance to chemotherapy. ATP7A and ATP7B, the key copper-transporting proteins, have emerged as crucial players in tumor biology. As a result, targeting the tumor-specific suppression of these Cu ATPases has surfaced as a promising strategy to counteract tumor growth and metastasis.
Polishchuk’s lab has been at the forefront of this research, exploring how dysfunctions in ATP7A/B contribute to cancer progression and drug resistance. Their studies on the genetic mechanisms driving ATP7A/B dysfunction in copper-related disorders have opened new avenues for cancer therapy. This research line aims to exploit these mechanisms to combat cancer, positioning ATP7A/B inhibition as a potential target for therapeutic intervention. Through this work, Polishchuk continues to push the boundaries of scientific discovery, merging his foundational work in copper homeostasis with innovative approaches to fight cancer.