Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Duke University's Office of Research Administration received a $1.01 million Project Grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) under the Environmental Health program (CFDA 93.113), awarded February 17, 2026, with completion targeted for January 31, 2034. The award funds research to advance understanding of environmental mitochondrial health by investigating how chemical exposures affect mitochondrial function, particularly in individuals with genetic mitochondrial disease predispositions. The research employs a translational approach integrating Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) in vivo laboratory models with human cell culture experiments derived from mitochondrial disease patients to identify biological pathways that respond to mitochondrial DNA damage and characterize how mitochondrial toxicants interact with known mitochondrial disease genes.

The funded research deliverables include mechanistic characterization of how different types of chemical stressors alter mitochondrial integrity and function, identification of novel biological defense pathways protecting mitochondria and the mitochondrial genome, and comparative analysis of how genetic deficiencies in key genes alter sensitivity to mitochondrial toxicants across both model organisms and patient-derived cell systems. These research outputs are intended to address critical knowledge gaps that currently hinder environmental health testing, regulatory decision-making, and development of personalized medicine approaches for patients with mitochondrial disease exposed to environmental chemical toxicants.