ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mitochondrial Transplant for Cell Regeneration

MITO2i and Medicine By Design Co-Fund Project in Mitochondria and Regenerative Medicine

This project, co-funded by MITO2i and MbD led by Ana Andreazza, professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, aims to advance mitochondrial transplantation as a regenerative medicine tool. The project’s focus is on developing a stable mitochondrial delivery method using bioengineered materials, and studying mitotransplant efficacy in various tissues using organ-on-a-chip technology. Long-term goals include obtaining pre-clinical and safety data and conducting larger clinical trials for chronic diseases, specifically mitochondrial rare diseases.

Co-Investigators: Marcelo Cypel (Surgical director, Ajmera Transplant Centre, University Health Network), Milica Radisic (Professor, University of Toronto), Ori Rotstein (Vice-President Research & Innovation, Unity Health), Frank Gu (Professor, University of Toronto), Sowmya Viswanathan (Scientist, University Health Network).

ANA ANDREAZZA

Canada Research Chair in Molecular Pharmacology of Mood Disorders Professor Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology and Department of Psychiatry University of Toronto

MARCELO CYPEL

MD, MSc, FRCSC, FACS Senior Scientist, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute (TGHRI) Cancer Clinical Research Unit (CCRU), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre

MILICA RADISIC

Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Organ-on-a-Chip Engineering Professor (BME, ChemE) University of Toronto

FRANK GU

NSERC Senior Industrial Research Chair in Nanotechnology Engineering Professor (ChemE) University of Toronto

ORI ROTSTEIN

MD, MSc, FRCSC, FACS
Vice President of Research and Innovation at Unity Health Toronto Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of Surgery University of Toronto

SOWMYA VISWANATHAN

Assistant Professor Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto Scientist, Krembil Research Institute (Krembil)

DAVID BODENSTEIN

David Bodenstein is a PhD student at the Andreazza Lab

DR. GABRIEL SIEBIGER

Dr. Gabriel Siebiger is a Master’s student in the Cypel Research Lab

YIMU ZHAO

Yimu Zhao is an NSERC Post-doctoral Fellow in the laboratory of the Radisic Lab

AARON CLASKY

Aaron Clasky is a PhD Student in Dr. Frank Gu’s lab.

AVINASH MUKKALA

Avinash Mukkala is a PhD candidate in the laboratory of Dr. Ori Rotstein

MITO2i and Ted Rogers Centre Co-Fund Project in Heart Research in Mitochondria and Cardiovascular Research

MITO2i has partnered with the Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research to initiate the first cardiovascular and mitochondria research call for the Toronto community. The objective of these Innovation Seed Grants is to generate new knowledge, promote innovation, and support interdisciplinary research and collaboration. In so doing, MITO2i and the Ted Rogers Centre supports impactful projects that possess the most promise in transforming how we prevent, diagnose, and treat mitochondrial disease, heart failure, and associated conditions.

MITO2I and TRCHR 2023 INNOVATION SEED GRANT AWARDEES

SLAVA EPELMAN, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO AND CO-PI: MILICA RADISIC, PROFESSOR OF ENGINEERING, COLLABORATORS: DR. GORDON KELLER AND DR. MICHAEL LAFLAMME FOR THEIR PROJECT ENTITLED “MACROPHAGE SUPPORT OF CARDIOMYOCYTE MITOCHONDRIAL HOMEOSTASIS UNDERLIES ENHANCED FUNCTION OF HUMAN BIOENGINEERED CARDIAC MICROTISSUES”.

MITO2i Brain and Mitochondria Innovation Grant Awardees

MITO2i announced the Brain and Mitochondria Innovation Seed Grant in November 2022 to support projects looking to investigate the role of mitochondria in brain diseases and disorders. The purpose of the grant is to address the unmet need to understand the complex relationship between mitochondrial diseases, mitochondrial dysfunction, and brain diseases. The objective of the Innovation grants is to generate new knowledge, promoting innovation and interdisciplinary research.

Awardees

MITOCHONDRIAL EPILEPTIC ENCEPHALOPATHIES: ORGANOID STUDIES IN A PATIENT COHORT

PETER CARLEN (PROFESSOR, UOFT, SENIOR SCIENTIST, KREMBIL RESEARCH INSTITUTE) AND DANIELLE ANDRADE (Clinician, UHN)

ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTS OF NEURONAL MITOCHONDRIAL CALCIUM UNIPORTER DEFICIENCY ON MITOCHONDRIAL, NEURONAL, AND GAIT DEFICITS IN MALE AND FEMALE MECP2 DEFICIENT MICE

JAMES EUBANKS (PROFESSOR, UOFT, SENIOR SCIENTIST, KREMBIL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, UHN)