Meet our Scientific Organizing Committee

The UMDF is pleased to welcome Dr. Douglas C. Wallace, Dr. Deborah Murdock, Dr. Peter McGuire and Dr. Fernando Scaglia as the UMDF Mitochondrial Medicine 2023 Symposium organizing committee. They are putting together an exciting scientific/clinicial program encompassing new discoveries about mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) structure and function, the role of the mitochondrion in the immune system, the effects on mitochondrial function of viral infection, and novel mitochondrial genetic therapies. Join us as we explore the Mysteries of the Mitochondria this coming June. Family/Patient program details coming soon.


Wednesday, June 28, Morning Platform: Mito Inflammation

Topic Title:
Nucleic Acid-mediated Mitonuclear Signaling



Tentative Topic Title:
cGAS-STING-Mitophagy-Neurodegenerative Disease


Tentative Topic Title:
Inflammation & ATP Signaling


Topic Title:
OxPhos Defects, Inflammation and Hypermetabolism



Mitochondrial Medicine Society Wednesday Platform Session

Tentative Topic Title:
Circulating, Cell-free Mitochondrial DNA in Critical Illness




Topic Title:
Are Patients with Mitochondrial Diseases Hypermetabolic?


Tentative Topic Title:
Neurometabolic Regression Risk with Infection in Primary Mitochondrial Disease


Afternoon Session - Topic Title

Current Status of Biomarkers for Mitochondrial Disease


Wednesday, June 28, Afternoon Platform: Mysteries of mtDNA

Topic Title:
Mitochondrial-DNA Encoded Microproteins


Tentative Topic Title:
Mitochondrial-nuclear Coregulation in Health and Disease


Tentative Topic Title:
mtDNA Conformational Regulation


Topic Title:
mtDNA Haplogroup Disease Associations


Thursday, June 29, Morning Platform: Mito/Viruses

Tentative Topic Title:
Mitochondrion and Immune System


Tentative Topic Title:
Viral Exposures in Primary Mitochondrial Disease (PMD) Patients


Tentative Topic Title:
Mitochondria & COVID-19


Topic Title:
Coronaviruses: Intersection of Innate Immune and Integrated Stress Responses
Tentative Topic Title:
Flaviviruses and Integrated Stress Response


Mitochondrial Medicine Society Thursday Platform Session

Tentative Topic Title:
Mitochondrial Disease and the Viral Exposome


Tentative Topic Title:
B Cell Phenotype and Immunoglobulin Replacement Therapy


Tentative Topic Title:
Connections Between the Viral Exposome and Mitochondrial Function


Thursday, June 29, Afternoon Platform: Mito Signaling

Tentative Topic Title:
Mitochondrial and Cellular Metabolism


Tentative Topic Title:
Metabolic Controls


Tentative Topic Title:
MNRR1 Bicompartmental Mito Regulation


Tentative Topic Title:
MAT (Mitochondrial Augmentation Therapy) and MEPAN (Mitochondrial Enoyl CoA Reductase Protein-Associated Neurodegeneration)


Friday, June 30: Combined Sci/Med and Patient/Family Morning Sessions:

State of Mitochondrial Medicine and Clinical Trial Updates

Friday, June 30, Afternoon Session: Mito Genetic Therapy

Tentative Topic Title:
AAV nDNA Gene Therapy


Tentative Topic Title:
mtDNA & Restriction Enzymes


Tentative Topic Title:
mtDNA & Deaminases


Tentative Topic Title:
Nuclear Transplantation


Saturday, July 1, Platform Session: Mito Transfer/Fatty Acid Synthesis

Tentative Topic Title:
Vesicular Transfer


Tentative Topic Title:
Nanotube Transfer


Topic Title:
Discovery of Intracellular Mitochondrial Transfer to Macrophages


Topic Title:
Mitochondrial Transplantation: Clinical Application and Use


Tentative Topic Title:
mtFASII Pathway & Mouse Model


Tentative Topic Title
Mito FASII in OXPHOS Biochemistry