Leonid Sazanov

Leonid A. Sazanov is a Belarusian scientist who is a professor at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA). Sazanov research explores the structure and function of large membrane protein complexes from the domain of bioenergetics. and Moscow State University, where he was awarded a PhD in 1990.

Career and research Sazanov is known for the discovery of the first atomic structure of respiratory complex I, using X-ray crystallography and the bacterial enzyme as a model.

Sazanov research investigates the coupling mechanism of complex I using a combination of structural and biophysical techniques. He is also interested in the structure and mechanism of other membrane-embedded molecular machines in mitochondria and bacteria.

Previously Sazanov served as program leader at the MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit and research associate at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology.