Dr. Kory studies the role of mitochondria in metabolic homeostasis and signaling, with a focus on mitochondrial transporters. Mitochondria are critical organelles in metabolic functions, generating the energy and compounds needed to construct the building blocks of the cell.   However, they have been hard to identify and even harder to study mechanistically. She will approach the problem using innovative functional genomics and metabolomics tools. As cancer cells rely on an increased supply of energy to fuel their rapid proliferation and ensure survival in the harsh tumor microenvironment, these studies aim to lay the groundwork for future development of metabolic inhibitors with potential chemotherapeutic value.