Some of your most important life partners are the mitochondria that power all your cells. You and these little cellular powerhouses are in a 1.5-billion-year-old evolutionary relationship—but mitochondria brought some baggage. Mitochondria brought their own DNA with them when they joined with our bigger, more complex cells so long ago, and today, that mitochondrial DNA influences human health.

Ronald Evans, PhD, is asking what those influences are, and the latest study from his lab unveils a new biological platform for studying mitochondrial DNA in physiology, adaptation, disease mechanisms, and therapeutic development. They have already used the platform to generate a library of 155 mitochondrial DNA mutant cell lines and to reveal correlations between mouse development and mitochondrial function. The platform, library, and findings will accelerate therapeutic development for mitochondrial disorders and help scientists treat mitochondrial dysfunction in other diseases and conditions, such as cancer and aging. 

“The majority of human diseases come with or cause mitochondrial dysfunction. Progress in this field has been limited, but this new platform is going to fuel so much important research that points to therapeutic approaches to combat mitochondrial diseases, as well as diseases or conditions associated with mitochondrial dysfunction like cancer or aging.”

Ronald Evans 

Read news release