Leonid Sazanov facts for kids

Leonid A. Sazanov is a brilliant scientist and professor at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA). He studies tiny machines called membrane proteins that are found in living cells. These proteins help cells get energy. Think of them like tiny power plants inside your body's cells! They turn one type of energy into another, helping everything work.

Where He Studied

Leonid Sazanov went to two universities: Belarusian State University and Moscow State University. He earned his PhD degree in 1990. A PhD is a very high degree you can get at a university.

His Amazing Discoveries

Professor Sazanov is famous for finding the exact atomic structure of something called respiratory complex I. This is a super important protein machine. He first used a method called X-ray crystallography to study it in bacteria.

• What is Complex I? It's like the starting gate for a race inside your cells. This race helps make most of the energy your cells need to live and grow.
• Why was it a big deal? When Professor Sazanov figured out its structure, he saw many surprising and unique parts of this complex machine.

Later, he used a newer method called cryogenic electron microscopy to look at an even bigger version of Complex I. This one is found in the mitochondria of mammals (like humans!). Mitochondria are often called the "powerhouses" of the cell.

What He Studies Now

Professor Sazanov continues to investigate how Complex I works. He wants to understand exactly how it links different types of energy. He uses a mix of structural studies (looking at shapes) and biophysical techniques (studying how living things work using physics).

He is also interested in other tiny machines found in mitochondria and bacteria. These machines are also stuck in membranes and help with energy.

Before working at ISTA, Professor Sazanov held important positions. He was a program leader at the MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit. He also worked as a researcher at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology. Earlier in his career, he was a research fellow at Imperial College London and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Birmingham.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Professor Sazanov has received some big honors for his scientific work:

• In 2019, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very prestigious award for scientists in the UK.
• In 2018, he became a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). This is a group of top scientists in Europe who study biology.