La mitocondria como diana terapeutica (mitoTER)

Mitochondria roles in cell biology go far beyond the regulation of energy production by oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS): during last years, mitochondria have emerged to control metabolism, immunity, cell death and the intra- and inter-cellular signaling by calcium and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The number, structure and molecular composition of the mitochondria changes during development and depends on the cell type considered, with skeletal muscle being one of the organs more dependent on their activity. In addition, mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that move, merge and divide, their morphological changes being related to adaptation to metabolic changes in the environment. For all these reasons, it is not surprising that mitochondrial metabolism has emerged as a key therapeutic target for a variety of diseases, including psychiatric and neuromuscular diseases

During the last decades, the group of Professor Formentini has been studying the molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate the function of mitochondria in pathology. They have discovered a set of pathways that are required for the correct activity of the organelle and new mitochondrial targets.

The goal of this project is to discover new molecules able of enhancing the mitochondrial activity. With the help of in vitro and in vivo settings ( and the novel LowOXPHOS and LowFAO animal models), we aim at unveiling potential treatments for metabolic and rare diseases of mitochondrial origin.