Anna Wredenberg

Cellular metabolism describes the chemical reactions in our cells that sustain life. Of key importance in these reactions is the mitochondrial network, a dynamic structure inside our cells. Mitochondria are maybe best known for their role in energy metabolism, converting the food we eat into usable energy. But many other cellular pathways, such as glucose, lipid, amino acid, or nucleotide metabolism, enter or pass through mitochondria. It is therefore not surprising that mitochondrial dysfunction is a common feature not only in numerous rare inherited diseases but is also a contributing factor in several more common conditions. There are no effective treatment strategies for mitochondrial dysfunction, mainly due to our lack of understanding some basics of mitochondrial biology, but also because of the complexity of the cellular metabolism. This project will identify and target cellular pathways to improve the diagnosis and treatment of mitochondrial dysfunction.