Project Grant K08NS138707

This federal Project Grant award, with ID K08NS138707, was provided by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders (CFDA 93.853) program. The grant totaling $230,580 supports research to unravel the role of ATP synthase dimerization in energy regulation and adaptation to metabolic stress, with the ultimate goal of developing novel therapeutic approaches for mitochondrial disorders like Leigh syndrome. The research strategy employs primary human cell lines and knockout models to investigate how inner mitochondrial structural abnormalities disrupt the proton gradient and lead to ATP synthesis failure. The project also explores the therapeutic potential of manipulating ATP synthase dimerization through genetic overexpression. This research marks a significant advancement in understanding the mitochondrial stress response and holds substantial therapeutic potential for a range of energy metabolism disorders. The award was made to The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, a leading academic research institution, and is scheduled to run from August 1, 2025 to June 30, 2030.