How Neurons Keep Mitochondria Working Together Inside Brain Cells
Official title: How Do Neurons Maintain Mitochondrial Homeostasis in Vivo?
Funded at Columbia Univ New York Morningside · NIH-11390962 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how brain cells move and arrange their energy factories (mitochondria) inside living organisms to understand brain health and diseases like Alzheimer's.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia Univ New York Morningside NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $411,250 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS121179-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11390962 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with or at risk for Alzheimer’s disease who may benefit from future translational insights into neuronal health and mitochondrial function.
✕Less likely to help
This basic science project in fruit flies may not directly provide a treatment or diagnosis during the study.
What this research studies
Researchers will use live imaging in fruit fly neurons to watch mitochondria move, split, fuse, and get recycled inside intact neurons. They will combine these observations with mathematical models to explain how neuron shape and structure help keep mitochondria properly distributed over time. The goal is to uncover the rules that maintain mitochondrial balance in neurons, which could inform how brain cells stay healthy in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. This work brings advanced imaging and modeling to a living system to link cellular dynamics with whole-cell organization.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A better understanding of mitochondrial balance in neurons could inform new approaches to preventing or treating neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows mitochondrial dynamics are important for neuronal health, but in vivo mechanistic models in complex neurons are still being developed.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia Univ New York Morningside
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Barnhart, Erin L — Columbia Univ New York Morningside
- Study coordinator: Barnhart, Erin L
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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.