CCMT Seminar Series - October 6, 2022

The Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics at CHOP presents a Lecture series:

Energy Matters: Programming Axonal Mitochondrial Maintenance and Bioenergetics to Power Synaptic Transmission and Neural Regeneration

Speaker:
Zu-Hang Sheng, PhD
Senior Investigator
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
National Institutes of Health

Description of Research:
Regeneration is a complicated cellular program and requires a high level of energy consumption, which is mainly supplied by local mitochondria within regenerating axons. ATP consumption also supports synaptic transmission. Chronic mitochondrial dysfunction accompanied by bioenergetic deficits is a pathological hallmark of major neurological disorders. Brain injury triggers acute mitochondrial damage leading to a local energy crisis that contributes to CNS regeneration failure. To maintain axonal and synaptic bioenergetics, neurons deploy complex mechanisms transporting healthy mitochondria into distal axons and active synapses and replacing damaged mitochondria from distal areas. Thus, defects in axonal mitochondrial maintenance and bioenergetics emerge as one of the central problems in neurological disorders and regeneration failure. Investigation into the mechanisms for reprogramming axonal mitochondrial maintenance, repairing energy deficits, and boosting bioenergetic metabolism represent an emerging research frontier. Dr. Sheng’s work provides new cellular targets for reprogramming axonal mitochondrial maintenance and repairing bioenergetic failure.

Host:
Yuanquan Song, PhD

Please email songy2@chop.edu if you would like to meet with the speaker.