The Medical Research Council (MRC) has announced the creation of a new Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) in Mitochondrial Genome Therapeutics. This centre will bring together experts to define how mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cause disease and translate this knowledge into therapies.
Mitochondrial diseases are a group of genetic disorders for which no cure currently exists. These conditions affect approximately one in 5,000 people, leading to significant unmet medical needs for patients and their families. Mitochondrial dysfunction can contribute to severe disability, progressive decline, and premature death in affected individuals.
Beyond inherited conditions, mtDNA mutations are also increasingly linked to neurodegeneration, metabolic disease, cardiovascular failure, and age-related deterioration.
Professor Michal Minczuk of the University of Cambridge, who leads the project, stated that the MRC CoRE will provide pioneering approaches to understanding and treating these diseases. The goal is to establish scientific foundations for new therapeutic strategies and offer renewed hope to those affected.
The CoRE will be led by the University of Cambridge and will collaborate with institutions including the University of Birmingham, The University of Manchester, Heidelberg University, the University of Queensland, and the Imagine Institute in Paris. It will also partner with charities such as the Lily Foundation and industry worldwide.
Dr Ceri Williams, Executive Director of Challenge Led Themes at MRC, highlighted that the UK has been at the forefront of mitochondrial science. This new CoRE builds on existing foundations to make progress towards understanding the root causes of mtDNA mutations, with the potential to transform health research in this field.