On the heels of our traditional research grant funding cycle culminating at UMDF’s annual Mitochondrial Medicine conference this past June, the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation is proud to announce the funding of two additional postdoctoral fellowship research grants. With these additional awards, UMDF has now provided research grants totaling more than $950,000 in the last year, spread across 15 labs.
A special thanks to the generous donor families who have taken a keen interest in advancing the careers of young investigators carrying out the best peer-reviewed science, like the two research projects below.
$50,000
Raquel Justo-Méndez, PhD
IRB Barcelona
Generously funded by The William & Sandra Cunningham Charitable Fund
Project Title: Implications and Novel Therapeutic Insights on Mitochondrial Integrity in Hematopoiesis and Immune Balance in the Context of Mitochondrial Diseases
This research investigates how important cells called multipotent progenitor cells, which play a crucial role in creating different blood cells in our body, stay healthy. These cells exhibit an efficient energy management system, but mutations in the mitochondrial DNA can impact on the organelle quality control mechanisms, resulting in issues with the maintenance and differentiation processes of these cells. Additionally, mutations in the mitochondrial genome of mature blood cells and the resulting inflammation can harm the health of the different organs. Such concerns are particularly significant in individuals with mitochondrial diseases. By studying different mouse models that mimic these health conditions and blood cells obtained from healthy donors and patients, the goal of this work is to gain a deeper understanding of these complexities. This project aims to help individuals with similar health challenges by developing new ways to diagnose and treat them effectively.
$50,000
Daniel Lagos, PhD
University of Cambridge
Generously funded by The Logan Sloane Aronson Impact Fund in honor of Sydney Breslow and The Porter Family Foundation
Project Title: Unveiling the Role of Secreted Mitochondria in Extracellular Vesicles: Implications for Primary Mitochondrial Disease
Mitochondrial diseases manifest with a wide range of symptoms, affecting various organs and tissues in our bodies. One cellular adaptation mechanism to cope with the accumulation of defective material inside cells is the secretion of this damaged content in the form of vesicles. These vesicles can be taken up by neighboring cells or cells located at distant sites enabling a broader effect. Furthermore, these vesicles can carry mitochondria, which may have negative effects on the recipient cells. The objective of this project is to study these vesicles by characterizing their number, content, and effects on neighboring cells, focusing on cell types typically most affected in mitochondrial diseases, such as muscle cells and neurons. The results of the experiments in cellular models will be confirmed and validated in blood samples of patients with mitochondrial diseases. It is hoped that the proposed research will reveal new ways in which mitochondria can participate in communication between different cells in the body, potentially improving cell survival and future therapy development in mitochondrial diseases.