Marie-Thérèse Henke

After studying biochemistry, I switched to Medical Neurosciences for my PhD to study a rare mitochondrial disease (Leigh Syndrome).

Mitochondria in health and disease: Our metabolic common ground

Mitochondria are the power hubs of our cells as they take nutrients to produce our energy molecule ATP and thus play an important role in regulating our general health and metabolism. However, mitochondrial function can be damaged through genetic effects leading to severe diseases often during early childhood and often without sufficient treatment available. On the other hand, mitochondrial malfunction can increase during aging and is also associated with diabetes or dementia. During my talk, I want to raise awareness for rare mitochondrial diseases and show why it is difficult to research and develop sufficient treatments, but also highlight the importance of mitochondrial function for overall health.