Introducing our Collaboration with MITO2i

The TDRA is delighted to announce our new collaboration with MITO2i to join research efforts to help unravel the role of the mitochondria, the powerhouse of our cells, in Alzheimer’s disease.

MITO2i is an institutional strategic initiative of the University of Toronto hosted by the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. MITO2i is dedicated to transforming our understanding of the role of mitochondria in human health and disease. MITO2i brings together a network of researchers, clinicians, patients and advocates, academic institutions, NGOs, and industry partners. Together with its partners, MITO2i aims to deliver supporting technologies, integrative platforms, and interdisciplinary knowledge that will lead to a paradigm shift in the way clinicians approach the diagnosis and treatment of disease and consider the potential role of mitochondrial dysfunction in multiple and prevalent medical conditions.

Recent research has found a connection between improper functioning of the mitochondria and a variety of neurodegenerative disorders, including dementia and specifically Alzheimer’s disease (AD). By studying mitochondrial genes in persons living with, and at risk for AD, versus those from persons not at risk for AD, it can help establish the genetic signature of the mitochondria in AD. This could become a promising biomarker, allowing for persons at risk for AD to be identified earlier. It could also reveal whether any mitochondrial genes could be potential targets for treatments to prevent or slow down AD.

The collaboration between TDRA and MITO2i will build sustainable research infrastructure to support research focused on the links between mitochondria and dementia. The collaborative efforts will help develop connections among researchers across the basic and clinical sciences at UofT affiliated hospitals, help design new research projects on this topic, and co-fund graduate students and clinical fellows. A better understanding of the link between mitochondria and dementia will transform the way we view, diagnose, and potentially treat dementia.