Dr. Mikhail Alexeyev is a full Professor at the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience at the University of South Alabama. He graduated from Kiev State University, Magna Cum Laude, in 1989. He received his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, in 1992, and his postdoctoral training in Molecular Biotechnology of Soil Bacteria (Louisiana State University) and Gene Therapy (Texas Heart Institute). He joined the University of South Alabama in 1996, where he rose through the ranks, advancing from Research Assistant Professor, to Assistant Professor (tenure-track), and finally to Associate Professor with tenure. His research interests mainly include mitochondrial biology, mitochondrial disease, animal models of mitochondrial disease caused by mutations in mtDNA, mtDNA maintenance, replication, damage, repair, mutagenesis, and manipulation, and the physiological role of mtDNA.