How cells coordinate making mitochondrial and other proteins
Spatial coordination of cytosolic and mitochondrial translation
This project looks at how cells make and assemble parts of the energy-producing machine inside mitochondria, which could help us understand diseases linked to mitochondrial problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brown University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11366986 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's view, researchers are using baker's yeast as a simple model to watch where and when messages for mitochondrial parts are made and translated. They use fluorescent imaging to track two key mRNAs — one made from the cell nucleus and one made inside mitochondria — and see that these messages come together on the mitochondrial network. The team tests whether the protein-making machinery on both sides of the mitochondrial membrane lines up to help assemble the ATP synthase complex. Learning this coordination could explain how certain mutations lead to disease and point toward future therapeutic directions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This is laboratory research using yeast and does not recruit patients, so there are no patient eligibility criteria for participation.
Not a fit: Patients looking for immediate treatments or clinical trials are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic lab study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal basic mechanisms that eventually lead to new strategies for treating or preventing diseases caused by mitochondrial dysfunction, including some forms of dementia.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have shown coordinated translation and mRNA co-localization in model systems, but the molecular mechanism behind cross-compartment coordination is still largely unknown.
Where this research is happening
Providence, United States
- Brown University — Providence, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Li, Weihan — Brown University
- Study coordinator: Li, Weihan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.