IIT Seminar Series: Weston Porter

Tue, January 13, 2026 11:00 AM - Tue, January 13, 2026 1:00 PM at 162 Food Safety & Toxicology Building

*The Institute for Integrative Toxicology presents Dr. Weston Porter, Texas A&M University, to speak on, “Powering Cell Identity: Mitochondrial Control of Development and Plasticity,” on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in 162 Food Safety and Toxicology Building.

*Fulfills seminar requirements for the Environmental and Integrative Toxicological Sciences Graduate Programs. Seminars that fulfill this requirement are archived at: https://iit.msu.edu/training/eits/recent-seminar-list.html.

Talk Abstract: In the Porter lab, we look at how mitochondria do more than just make energy they help decide how cells grow, change, and sometimes go wrong in disease. We study how these organelles communicate with the nucleus and the endoplasmic reticulum to guide normal development and what happens when that balance breaks down. Through this, we hope to understand how mitochondrial stress and signaling shape everything from early cell fate to cancer progression.

Speaker Bio: Weston Porter is a Professor and Palmer Chair in Comparative Oncology in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at Texas A&M University. He is a leading expert in mammary gland development and breast cancer, with research interests in metabolic adaptation, circadian rhythms, and Down syndrome.