Aleem Siddiqui, PhD, received BS and MSc degrees from Osmania University, Hyderabad, India. He received his PhD degree from the University of Kansas Medical School. Dr. Siddiqui was a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University, where he was involved in the molecular cloning of hepatitis B virus. At his current position at the University of California, San Diego, CA, his laboratory studies human hepatitis viruses (HBV and HCV). Dr. Siddiqui’s recent work has focused on the effect of HCV and HBV gene expression on mitochondrial dynamics. Mitochondrial liver injury is a commonly observed feature of chronic hepatitis. Both viruses favor mitochondrial fission and induce mitophagy via mitochondrial translocalization of Parkin. Parkin localized on mitochondria modulates mitochondrial metabolism and functions. One of its major roles is to maintain persistent viral infection by inhibiting apoptotic program in the infected cells.