Entering a new “phase” for metabolic regulation and lifespan extension
Milos R. Filipovic
To sustain life, nature relies on a limited set of chemical reactions; among them is sulfur-based chemistry, which primarily controls intracellular redox homeostasis and redox signalling. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), one of the simplest sulfur-containing molecules in cells, has attracted significant attention since its potential physiological roles were first proposed. One of the main mechanisms by which H2S signals is the post-translational modification of cysteine residues, known as persulfidation. Key questions remain about how protein persulfides form in cells and how they affect cellular function, particularly in the context of aging and age-related diseases. This talk will examine structural versus functional effects and controlled versus stochastic formation of persulfides. Specifically, I will introduce liquid–liquid phase separation—a mechanism by which cytoplasmic components (proteins and RNAs) assemble into distinct, membraneless compartments (biomolecular condensates)—as a primary way through which H2S-induced protein persulfidation regulates cellular metabolism and function and could be used to improve health- and lifespan.
Short biography :
Professor Filipovic is a Royal Society Wolfson Fellow and ERC Consolidator Grantee who began his independent research career in 2016 as a tenured researcher at the Institute for Biochemistry and Cellular Genetics, CNRS. He quickly advanced to the rank of Director of Research. Over the years, he has received several prestigious awards and grants, including the ATIP-Avenir grant, the IdEx Junior Chair grant from the University of Bordeaux, and team funding through the “FRM Équipe” label by the French Foundation for Medical Research (FRM). Following the award of his ERC Consolidator Grant, Professor Filipovic moved to the Leibniz Institute for Analytical Sciences (ISAS), the last remaining institute in Germany dedicated solely to analytical sciences. There, his team developed strong expertise in applying diverse proteomics approaches to tackle complex biological questions. Since March 2025, he has been a Full Professor at the University of Glasgow’s School of Molecular Biosciences. Filipovic’s research team has focused extensively on developing tools for the selective labelling of post- translational modifications (PTMs) of cysteine residues, aiming to elucidate their roles in cellular signalling.