MCD

The Institute of Metabolism and Cell Death (MCD) aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying life and death decisions in (patho-)physiological contexts. Understanding these mechanisms is central to both the identification of biomarkers and the development of new therapies to combat degenerative diseases and cancer.

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Kidney tubular cells dying by ferroptosis

We are convinced that a detailed mechanistic understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying metabolic cell death or leaving a vulnerability to these forms of cell death will provide us unique opportunities to combat these often fatal diseases.

We are interested in understanding how mitochondrial metabolic plasticity paves the way for cells to adapt to stress and how this knowledge can help address diseases like neurodegeneration and mitochondrial disorders.

The cornerstone of our research is to identify ferroptotic signatures in pathological conditions relevant to ferroptosis with potential for biomarker development using (oxi-)lipidomic and metabolomic workflows.

Ferroptotic cell death is thought to be the root cause of many degenerative diseases while ferroptosis suppression has been put forward as Achilles’ heel for therapy-resistant tumors. Ferroptosis modulators have a vast potential for the treatment of as-yet-incurable diseases

The management and analysis of increasingly large amounts of research data is of enormous importance for the understanding of fundamental metabolic processes, their regulation and the subsequent development of innovative approaches to disease therapy.

Ferroptosis: from Molecular Basics to Clinical Applications

Regulation of Cell Death Decisions

Irondeath

Porträt Marcus Conrad_KI_Erweiterung für Typo3

Prof. Marcus Conrad, Director of the Institute of Metabolism and Cell Death at Helmholtz Munich, has been honored with the 54th Fondation ARC Léopold Griffuel Award for Translational and Clinical Research. The award recognizes his pioneering…

Electron micrograph of apoptotic cells showing the formation of membranebound apoptotic bodies a hallmark of programmed cell death

A new review in Cell by Helmholtz Munich researchers and international collaborators reframes regulated cell death as a roadmap for the next generation of precision oncology. Publication coincides with the 25th anniversary of the seminal Hallmarks of…

Porträt Marcus Conrad
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Background: HDC Indoor

Prof. Marcus Conrad, Director of the Institute of Metabolism and Cell Death at Helmholtz Munich was awarded the German Cancer Award 2026 in the category “Experimental Research”, together with Prof. José Pedro Friedmann Angeli of the University of…

Bloodstream Flow 3D Render of Red Blood Cells in Vessel Lumen

Research into a novel form of cell death is entering its next phase and could soon help reduce complications after heart attacks or organ transplants. The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) is providing continued support for…

Researchers at Helmholtz Munich, the Technical University of Munich and the LMU University Hospital Munich uncovered a mechanism that protects nerve cells from premature cell death, known as ferroptosis. The study provides the first molecular…

Two new studies published in Nature show that metastatic melanoma and lung adenocarcinoma rely on the protein ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 (FSP1) for survival – identifying a metabolic dependency that may inform the development of new cancer…

A vibrant abstract composition shows interconnected blue dots and lines in a dark environment
KI generated

Researchers at Helmholtz Munich have secured three prestigious Proof of Concept Grants from the European Research Council (ERC). This funding will enable them to advance innovative projects across diverse areas of biomedical research. With a total of…

For his discoveries in the field of ferroptosis – a specific form of programmed cell death that opens up new perspectives for the development of drugs in cancer therapy and organ transplantation – Prof. Marcus Conrad has been awarded the Paul Martini…

Ferroptosis: when metabolism meets cell death

Exploiting ferroptosis vulnerabilities in cancer

Ferroptosis – Chains of Death

PRDX6 dictates ferroptosis sensitivity by directing cellular selenium utilization

Prof. Dr. Marcus Conrad

Director Metabolism and Cell Death, MCD

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Dr. Bettina Proneth

Deputy Director

Dr. Jens Hansen

Group Leader

Dr. Maceler Aldrovandi

Group Leader

Dr. Sebastian Doll

Group Leader

Dr. Soni Deshwal

Group Leader, MCD

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Conrad, M. ; Strasser, A. ; Jost, P.J. ; Yuan, J. ; Shao, F. ; Vandenabeele, P. ; Wahida, A.

Cell death in cancer.

Jacobs, L.J. ; Doll, S. ; Trümbach, D. ; Veronese, M. ; Di Pietro, G. ; Yapici, F.I. ; Hasberg, L. ; Gentzsch, P. ; Gerlich, S. ; Hansen, J. ; von Karstedt, S. ; Rugarli, E.I. ; Conrad, M. ; Salvador, A. ; Riemer, J.

Cytosolic PRDX1 acts as an extramitochondrial sink to set mitochondrial H₂O₂ levels and enable resilience to chronic mitochondrial oxidative stress.

Freitas, F.P. ; Alborzinia, H. ; Dos Santos, A.F. ; Nepachalovich, P. ; Pedrera, L. ; Zilka, O. ; Inague, A. ; Klein, C. ; Aroua, N. ; Kaushal, K. ; Kast, B. ; Lorenz, S. ; Kunz, V. ; Nehring, H. ; Xavier da Silva, T.N. ; Chen, Z. ; Atici, S. ; Doll, S. ; Schaefer, E.L. ; Ekpo, I. ; Schmitz, W. ; Horling, A. ; Imming, P. ; Miyamoto, S. ; Wehman, A.M. ; Genaro-Mattos, T.C. ; Mirnics, K. ; Kumar, L. ; Klein-Seetharaman, J. ; Meierjohann, S. ; Weigand, I. ; Kroiss, M. ; Bornkamm, G.W. ; Gomes, F. ; Netto, L.E.S. ; Sathian, M.B. ; Konrad, D.B. ; Covey, D.F. ; Michalke, B. ; Bommert, K. ; Bargou, R.C. ; Garcia-Saez, A. ; Pratt, D.A. ; Fedorova, M. ; Trumpp, A. ; Conrad, M. ; Friedmann Angeli, J.P.

Author Correction: 7-Dehydrocholesterol is an endogenous suppressor of ferroptosis.

Skafar, V. ; de Souza, I. ; Ghosh, B. ; Ferreira Dos Santos, A. ; Porto Freitas, F. ; Chen, Z. ; Sun, S. ; Donate Castillo, M. ; Nepachalovich, P. ; Seufert, L. ; Bothe, S. ; Tschuck, J. ; Mathur, A. ; Nunes-Alves, A. ; Buhr, J. ; Aponte-Santamaría, C. ; Schmitz, W. ; Mack, M. ; Eilers, M. ; Bargou, R. ; Chaufan, M. ; Kaur, M. ; Palma, M. ; Ubellacker, J.M. ; Elling, U. ; Augustin, H.G. ; Hadian, K. ; Meierjohann, S. ; Proneth, B. ; Conrad, M. ; Fedorova, M. ; Alborzinia, H. ; Friedmann Angeli, J.P.

Riboflavin metabolism shapes FSP1-driven ferroptosis resistance.

Mishima, E. ; Conrad, M.

Fat bolsters tumours against ferroptosis.

Kawamura, K. ; Ono, K. ; Mishima, E. ; Hashizume, O. ; Conrad, M. ; Miki, H. ; Funato, Y.

Cellular Mg²⁺ decrease causes a distinctive NF-κB-dependent form of cell death.

Takashima, H. ; Makino, R. ; Taguchi, H. ; Ito, J. ; Mishima, E. ; Takenaka, Y. ; Akiyama, Y. ; Sumi, D. ; Conrad, M. ; Tomikoka, Y. ; Toyama, T. ; Saito, Y.

Arsenite sensitizes to ferroptosis by disrupting selenium metabolism and reducing GPx4 expression.