Who is ... Mauro Corrado
Dr. Mauro Corrado is an independent group leader at the Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), the CECAD Cluster of Excellence for Aging Research and the at the University of Cologne, Germany. Trained in molecular and cellular biology in Rome and Geneva, he conducted doctoral research with Luca Scorrano on mitochondrial dynamics and autophagy before joining Erika Pearce’s laboratory at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg, where he helped establish key concepts in immunometabolism.
His research focuses on how mitochondrial metabolism regulates T cell function during immune responses, with particular emphasis on the dynamic remodeling of cardiolipin, the signature phospholipid of the inner mitochondrial membrane. His work investigates how metabolic adaptation enables T cells to respond to infections, cancer, inflammation, and ageing-associated immune dysfunction, and how mitochondrial plasticity shapes immune cell differentiation, survival, and long-term memory formation.
Mauro Corrado has made important contributions to understanding how mitochondrial membrane composition controls immune cell behavior. His studies demonstrated that dynamic cardiolipin synthesis and remodeling are essential for CD8⁺ T cell activation, metabolic fitness, and memory development, establishing mitochondrial lipid plasticity as a central regulator of adaptive immunity. In parallel, his work on mitochondrial architecture and stress responses has revealed how mitochondrial dynamics, cristae organization, and autophagy coordinate cellular adaptation to metabolic and environmental stress.
By integrating immunology, mitochondrial biology, and metabolism, his research aims to define how metabolic pathways can be therapeutically harnessed to improve immune responses in ageing, infections, cancer, and autoimmune disease. His work stands out for connecting fundamental mitochondrial mechanisms with clinically relevant questions in immune regulation and tissue homeostasis.
Mauro Corrado has received several competitive distinctions, including an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship and the CMMC Career Advancement Program Award, reflecting the growing international recognition of his contributions to the fields of immunometabolism and mitochondrial biology.
Link to PubMed
Link to CMMC Project Page
Link to CECAD Project Page
Link to Corrado Lab