MRC Equip: A bioenergetics platform to facilitate research in metabolic pathologies

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Mitochondria reside inside all cells in the body (except red blood cells), and function to generate cellular energy needed for healthy function and survival. Because they are present in all organs of the body, when they become dysfunctional, a wide variety of diseases, injuries and impairments can occur, leading to life long consequences for health and healthy ageing. This proposal requests funding to purchase a Seahorse XF Pro Analyser. This equipment is capable of measuring tiny fluctuations in oxygen usage and pH in a variety of samples, including isolated mitochondria, cells, tissue samples and whole organisms (e.g. zebrafish larvae). This generates a snapshot of mitochondrial function, a cellular bioenergetic profile, which can then be monitored for impairments after injury or be used to report when therapeutic intervention is beneficial. The Seahorse XF Pro Analyser uses a 96-well plate format which means that many samples can be compared rapidly.Research carried out at the RVC and elsewhere has identified mitochondrial dysfunction in the development of neurodegeneration (e.g. Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease), brain injury (e.g. following oxygen deprivation during birth), cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and musculoskeletal impairment. Acquiring a Seahorse XF Pro Analyser would enable researchers to determine how target proteins implicated in these conditions perturb the cellular bioenergetic profile and how potential new therapies might restore cellular health.