How copper gets into the cell's powerhouses (mitochondria)
Official title: Mitochondrial Copper Biology
Funded at Texas A&m Agrilife Research · NIH-11254935 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at ways to deliver copper into mitochondria to help people with inherited copper‑handling problems like Menkes disease and some mitochondrial disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m Agrilife Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | February 1, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $599,621 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM152102-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11254935 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with inherited copper‑transport disorders such as Menkes disease or mitochondrial conditions linked to copper deficiency would be the most relevant candidates for future clinical testing based on this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose conditions do not involve copper handling or cytochrome c oxidase dysfunction are unlikely to benefit from the findings of this research.
What this research studies
From a patient's viewpoint, researchers are working to learn exactly how cells move and store copper so mitochondria can make energy. They use cells and animal models (including zebrafish) to find the proteins and pathways that control copper delivery to cytochrome c oxidase. The team has identified a drug candidate, elesclomol, that can carry copper to mitochondrial enzymes and restore energy production in lab models. The goal is to turn those basic discoveries into leads that could be tested as treatments for lethal infantile copper‑deficiency disorders.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to therapies that restore mitochondrial energy production in people with Menkes disease and related copper‑deficiency mitochondrial disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical lab and animal studies have shown that elesclomol can deliver copper to mitochondria and restore respiration, but clinical benefit in patients has not yet been demonstrated.
Where this research is happening
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Texas A&m Agrilife Research
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gohil, Vishal Mahendrasingh — Texas A&m Agrilife Research
- Study coordinator: Gohil, Vishal Mahendrasingh
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.