Harnessing the Promise of Mitochondrial Research Laura Stanley, Executive Director The Foundation for Mitochondrial Medicine
What’s Your Firefly Number?
How Many People Do You Know With These Diseases?
The Case for Awareness & Partnerships • Mitochondrial disease awareness is where Autism and Alzheimer’s were 25 years ago. • Harnessing mitochondrial function may be the Holy Grail of medicine, unlocking and unraveling a whole host of neurological, metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. • “Patients’ collective voice pushes government, business and science to a common ground that provides the platform for innovation at the margins.” - Wendy White, Siren Interactive
The Case for Collaboration & Funding the Cures •
Novel therapies that can correct defects in mitochondria functioning have the potential to impact many different diseases – from early childhood genetic diseases to late-life neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
•
2 Co-funded Joint Venture Drug Discovery Research Projects on Mitochondrial Therapeutic Targets: • •
ADDF-FMM: Dr. James Bennett, VCU--The purpose of the study is to determine if boosting mitochondria function in mice engineered to develop aspects of Alzheimer’s disease will improve their memory and cognitive function. MJFF-FMM: Wolfdieter Springer, Ph.D. of Mayo Clinic Jacksonville—The purpose of the study is to understand the biology of parkin which has revealed an important role for the protein in maintaining healthy mitochondria.
Hope on the Horizon… • An Academic-Biotech-Philanthropic Partnership: FMM Mitochondrial Medicine Clinical and Research Program with Seahorse Bioscience and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. • CLIA Certification of a Bioenergetics Health Index, a noninvasive blood test to determine mitochondrial function improved diagnostics, monitoring of therapeutic interventions, assessment of new treatments.
The Unifying Thread of Mitochondria‌ Gives hope for collective answers and treatments for millions of people.
www.hopeflies.org