Keeping mitochondria healthy and passed on correctly
Mitochondrial inheritance and quality control
This work looks at how cells clear damaged mitochondrial proteins to help people with heart disease and age-related conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11374125 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research focuses on how cells keep mitochondria — the parts of cells that make energy — free of damaged proteins. Scientists use lab-grown cells and molecular tools to follow how damaged proteins are tagged, removed by proteasomes, or sent for recycling, including pathways called ER-associated degradation (ERAD) and mitochondria-associated degradation (MAD). The team has found that MAD affects many more mitochondrial proteins than previously thought and are testing how that influences cell and heart muscle fitness. By understanding these quality-control steps in detail, they aim to find points that could be targeted to protect heart cells from damage related to aging and disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with heart disease, age-related cardiac decline, or conditions linked to mitochondrial dysfunction who are interested in donating samples or joining future clinical work would be most relevant.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to mitochondrial or proteostasis problems are less likely to see direct benefit from this basic laboratory research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to protect heart and muscle cells from damage caused by faulty mitochondrial proteins.
How similar studies have performed: Previous laboratory studies have linked protein quality control to aging and heart disease, but the expanded role of MAD in clearing inner mitochondrial proteins is a newer finding that is still being validated.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pon, Liza a — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Pon, Liza a
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.