Zechner Lab

Phosphate plays a vital role in numerous essential biological processes—from cellular energy storage to bone formation. While substantial progress has been made in characterizing phosphate homeostasis of the whole organism (e.g., intestinal absorption and renal excretion), the mechanisms that maintain phosphate balance of each individual cell remain less understood. Disorders of phosphate imbalance—such as deficiency in cancer or excess in chronic kidney disease—are widespread and contribute significantly to suffering and death. The Zechner Lab leverages cutting-edge approaches, including CRISPR-based genome-wide forward genetic screens, to uncover the molecular pathways that control cellular phosphate homeostasis and to identify the machinery responsible for phosphate sensing.