Cell-to-cell communication in the brain and tissue-specific phenotypes of mitochondrial disease

Mitochondrial diseases result in impaired energy production in cells and affect about 1 in 5,000 people in the UK. Production of energy is key to normal functioning of cells and organisms. Nevertheless, symptoms of mitochondrial disease often only appear in adulthood, and are restricted to specific organs like the eyes, muscles or brain. This suggests that, despite problems in their energy production, some cells and organs can continue to function normally for some time, before symptoms develop. In this proposal, I plan to study different cell types in the brain of fruit flies with mitochondrial disease. I aim to understand how these cells respond to mitochondrial disease and how they interact and cooperate to maintain normal function during development and aging. Understanding these tissue-wide coping strategies will lead to a better insight into the metabolic origins of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer and has the potential to uncover novel therapeutic approaches.