Targeting Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier: Impact on Future Metabolic Therapies
Prof. Edmund Kunji from the University of Cambridge will give a major talk entitled Targeting mitochondrial pyruvate carrier: impact on future metabolic therapies, during the Targeting Mitochondria 2025 Congress, which will be held on October 22-24, in Berlin, Germany.
About Prof. Kunji's talk:
Fifty years after the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) was first identified, researchers have now resolved its molecular structure and mechanism of action. In a landmark study published in Science Advances, Sichrovsky et al. (2025) unveiled how this critical mitochondrial complex mediates pyruvate transport and how its inhibition could be leveraged for therapeutic purposes in cancer, metabolic disorders, and more.
About his outstanding study:
Major Discoveries of the Study by Prof. Edmund Kunji and his teams
Molecular Structure of MPC:
The authors used cryo-electron microscopy to capture the architecture of the human MPC complex. They discovered that MPC forms a heterodimeric transport unit (MPC1/MPC2), creating a selective channel that guides pyruvate across the inner mitochondrial membrane.
Mechanism of Transport and Inhibition:
The study revealed how small-molecule inhibitors bind to the MPC complex and block its function, offering a blueprint for drug development. Structural analysis pinpointed specific binding sites that explain both transport dynamics and inhibition sensitivity.
Conserved Functionality:
Evolutionary conservation of the MPC mechanism across species (including yeast and human) underscores its universal biological role in cellular energy homeostasis.
Therapeutic Implications
Cancer:
Some tumors overexpress MPC to fuel high mitochondrial activity. MPC inhibitors could starve these cells of essential metabolites, selectively disrupting their growth.
Metabolic Diseases:
In conditions like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), blocking MPC forces hepatocytes to burn fat instead of relying on glucose, leading to reduced liver fat accumulation.
Regenerative Medicine & Hair Growth:
MPC inhibition has been shown to stimulate lactate production, which may promote hair follicle cell activation, opening potential new treatments for alopecia.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction & Neurodegeneration:
Targeting MPC may allow modulation of energy metabolism in neurodegenerative and mitochondrial diseases, where ATP production and redox balance are impaired.
Broader Impact
Drug Development:
The structural elucidation of MPC provides a molecular framework for designing selective modulators, setting the stage for new classes of metabolic drugs.
Precision Medicine:
Understanding individual differences in MPC structure/function may lead to personalized metabolic therapies tailored to genetic or disease-specific metabolic profiles.
Synthetic Biology & Bioenergetics:
The detailed MPC model can inform the engineering of customized metabolic pathways, supporting advances in synthetic biology, cell therapies, and biotechnology.
Book Your Hotel at Reduced Rate
The 16th World Congress on Targeting Mitochondria on October 22-24, 2025, at
DoubleTree by Hilton Berlin Ku'damm
Los-Angeles-Platz 1
10789 Berlin, Germany
Book your room with a special rate
The WMS arranged a deal for all attendees, a special reduced rate for all rooms booked at the DoubleTree by Hilton.
King Guest Room: €209 per night
- Includes complimentary breakfast
- Surcharge for double occupancy: €20 per day
- City Tax not included – 7.5% ( with the new German law, all stays in hotels are taxed for personal & professional use)
How to Reach DoubleTree by Hilton:
1. From Berlin Tegel Airport (TXL):
- By Taxi: Taxis are readily available outside the terminal. The journey takes approximately 15-20 minutes, depending on traffic.
- By Public Transport: Take the X9 bus towards Zoologischer Garten. The hotel is a short walk from there.
2. From Berlin Schönefeld Airport (SXF):
- By Taxi: Taxis are readily available outside the terminal. The journey takes approximately 30-40 minutes, depending on traffic.
- By Public Transport: Take the regional train RE7 or RB14 to Zoologischer Garten, then a 10-minute walk.
3. By Train from Berlin Hauptbahnhof:
- Take S-Bahn lines S3, S5, S7, or S9 to Zoologischer Garten, then a brief walk.
4. By Car:
- The hotel is near the A100 city motorway.
- Parking is available at the hotel for a fee.
5. Public Transportation:
- U2 subway line stops at U-Bahnhof Zoologischer Garten.
- Numerous bus lines stop nearby.
World Mitochondria Society
16th Targeting Mitochondria 2025 Congress
October 22-25, 2025 - Berlin, Germany
www.wms-site.com
Mitochondria & Organelle Crosstalk - Rethinking Organelle Crosstalk: Mitochondrial-Derived Vesicles in Peroxisome Biogenesis Presented by Dr. Ayumu Sugiura
At the heart of cellular metabolism, mitochondria and peroxisomes play tightly interconnected roles in lipid regulation, redox homeostasis, and energy dynamics. While direct contacts between these organelles have long been observed, the mechanisms underlying their communication and biological significance are only beginning to emerge.
In an insightful presentation, Dr. Ayumu Sugiura of Juntendo University, Japan, introduces a compelling hypothesis: mitochondrial-derived vesicles (MDVs) may serve as essential mediators in peroxisome biogenesis. These vesicles, generated by mitochondria in response to cellular cues, could carry lipids, enzymes, or signaling molecules critical for initiating or modulating peroxisomal function.
“Mitochondrial-derived vesicles may provide a missing mechanistic link in understanding how mitochondria influence peroxisome formation and specialization,” says Dr. Sugiura.
His talk emphasized that this vesicular communication is not a byproduct of stress or degradation but a targeted and regulated form of inter-organelle signaling, reflecting a deeper evolutionary connection.
Understanding MDVs and their role in peroxisome biology may open new avenues in treating metabolic disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and inherited mitochondrial syndromes, where organelle cooperation is often impaired.
This new perspective encourages scientists to rethink organelle crosstalk not as static interactions but as dynamic exchanges of molecular information, and places MDVs at the center of this emerging dialogue.
Targeting Mitochondria 2025 Best Image Submissions
The flame within
By Parnasree Mahapatra, Ph.D student, Ion channel lab, School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Jatni, Khurdah, India
Study Context : Super resolution image of mitochondria labelled with Mito tracker red and transfected with TRPV4 MTS DNA construct in Saos-2 cell
Lighting Up Mitochondrial Stress: SNX9 Dynamics in Parkinson’s disease
By Jimna Mohamed Ameer, PhD student, Inter University Centre for Biomedical Research and Super Speciality Hospital, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India
Study Context: MPP⁺-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in differentiated SH-SY5Y cells models early events in Parkinson’s disease. This neurotoxic stress causes mitochondrial fragmentation and disrupts endolysosomal functions. Our results reveal that Sorting Nexin 9 (SNX9), a membrane remodelling protein involved in endocytosis, is recruited to dysfunctional mitochondria following MPP⁺ treatment. This suggests a potential role for SNX9 in mitochondrial-derived vesicle (MDV) formation or mitochondrial quality control, providing novel insights into mitochondrial signalling and vesicular trafficking during neurodegenerative stress responses.
Glow and behold: Mitochondria on the move
By Phua Qian Hua, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR),Singapore, National University of Singapore
Study Context : Confocal microscopy image taken after mitochondrial transplantation from healthy iPSC-derived mitochondria (labeled with MitoTracker Green) into diseased endothelial cells with dysfunctional endogenous mitochondria (labeled with MitoTracker Red).
Human cardiomyocytes
By Andrea Elia, Alzheimer's Center at Temple (ACT), Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia
Study Context : Human cardiomyocytes serve as a powerful model to elucidate the biological impact of Alzheimer’s disease-associated amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology on cardiac function, enabling direct investigation into the cellular mechanisms driving Aβ-induced cardiac dysfunction.Aβ40 oligomers impair mitochondrial architecture and destabilize cytochrome c integrity in human cardiomyocytes, indicating a potential mechanism of amyloid-induced cardiac dysfunction.
Glowing and Growing Mind: Mitochondria in Early Neural Development
By Sundas Arshad, Luxembourg centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg
Study Context : This image is part of a study investigating mitochondrial remodeling during early neuronal differentiation. LUHMES cells, which are human embryonic neuronal precursor cells, have been utilized in several studies to investigate the PD and underlying mechanisms associated with it. Mitochondria were stained using TOM20, a marker of the outer mitochondrial membrane, to visualize their distribution and morphology. The goal of our study is to investigate the crosstalk between Ca²⁺ signaling and mitochondrial dynamics in dopaminergic neurons by combining live cell imaging and immunostaining techniques.
Bumpy mitochondrial track: a roadway to disease
By Ritoprova Sen, Integrated Ph.D. student of Biological Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru, India
Study Context : Our study aims to investigate mitochondrial damage and quality control in the context of mitochondrial diseases, particularly in cardiomyocytes. One such mitochondrial disease associated mutant causes elongated mitochondria as observed in AC16 human cardiomyocyte cell line. This is a projected fluorescent microscopy image depicting an AC16 human cardiomyocyte cell expressing a dominant negative disease mutant exhibiting hyper-elongated mitochondria. The outer mitochondrial membrane has been labelled with a construct expressing OMP25 (labelled in magenta) while the green denotes COXIV, an inner mitochondrial membrane protein which is a part of complex IV of the electron transport chain. The mutant manifests as elongated mitochondria, interrupted by bumps in the form of swollen bulbs as seen in magenta. Interestingly these swollen bulbs do not costain with COXIV in green. Whether such mitobulbs cause localized mitochondrial damage and consequently activation of mitochondrial quality control is currently an active area of investigation in the lab.
Galacto’Mitochondria in Cancer universe
By Lea Di Mascio, Research Engineer in molecular biology, Team 3 “ Metabolism, Cancer and Immune Response” at the Molecular Medicine Mediterranean Center (C3M) of Nice
Study Context : Our team is studying how mitophagy is involved in lung cancer.
Mitoverse: Multiverse of Mitochondria
By Pratiti Rout, PhD Scholar Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen and doing part of her doctoral research at Philipps-Universität Marburg
Description: The image showcases how in a single tissue (seminal vesicle of Drosophila male reproductive system) mitochondria can adapt to such diverse architectures (interconnected networks- * in yellow, fragmented and globular shapes - * in white). Phalloidin marks actin in red, DAPI stains the nuclei in blue and mitochondria in the muscles of seminal vesicle is visualised in green with Mef2-Gal4 driven UAS-mitoGFP. MEF is muscle-specific transcription factor.
Context of the study: Mitochondrial dynamics is crucial for muscle function. In this study, we explore the role of mitochondrial architecture in muscle development and function using Drosophila as a model organism. In our attempt to observe differences in mitochondria morphology in different muscle types found in Drosophila male reproductive tissues, we aquired this image using Leica Stellaris confocal microscope. Accessory glands like seminal vesicles are usually surrounded by multinucleated striated muscles whereas testes has smooth-like muscles. Surprisingly, we observed different shapes of mitochondria in muscles of one single tissue (seminal vesicle) compelling us to reflect on the idea of 'multiverse of mitochondria'.
Submit your Image and win a Free Registration
Have a memorable mitochondria image?
Submit your image for a chance to win free in-person or virtual registration to the 2025 congress.
We also welcome original artwork or drawings related to mitochondria, whether it's about life, energy, or dynamics.
Image Submission Guidelines:
To enter the contest, please submit the following information in a Word document:
- Your name
- Your complete affiliation
- A picture of yourself (optional)
- Your mitochondria image, including: A title/ A description of the image/ The context of the study
How to Enter?
Send your submissions to: mitochondria[at]wms-site.com.
Share your vision of mitochondria and stand out!
Lucid Scientific Joins as Official Supporter of World Mitochondria Society Congress 2025
The World Mitochondria Society officially welcomes Lucid Scientific as a supporter of the 16th World Mitochondria Society Congress, taking place from October 22–24, 2025, in Berlin, Germany.
Lucid Scientific, a biotechnology company based in Atlanta, Georgia, is renowned for its innovative solutions in cell culture research. Their flagship product, Resipher, is the world's first real-time, non-invasive cell culture monitor that measures oxygen consumption directly within standard incubator environments.
The Resipher system empowers researchers to precisely measure oxygen consumption directly in standard microplates. Its patented dynamic optical oxygen sensors provide high sensitivity without disturbing cells. Resipher's compact design allows it to sit directly in incubators, and its web-based software streams real-time data to the cloud, enabling researchers to monitor experiments remotely via computer, smartphone, or tablet.
At the 2025 Congress, Lucid Scientific will showcase how Resipher's capabilities can advance mitochondrial research by providing continuous, high-resolution data on cellular respiration. This aligns with the Congress's focus on translating the latest mitochondrial research into tangible medical treatments.
For more information about Lucid Scientific and the Resipher system : lucidsci.com.
Nanolive Joins as Official Supporter of World Mitochondria Society Congress 2025
The World Mitochondria Society is proud to announce its partnership with Nanolive for the 16th World Mitochondria Congress, to be held from the 22th to 24th of October in Berlin, Germany.
Nanolive, a Swiss biotech company based in Lausanne, is at the forefront of label-free live-cell imaging. Their cutting-edge technology allows researchers to observe living cells in 3D, in real-time, without using dyes or fluorescent markers, a major breakthrough for mitochondrial and cellular research.
Nanolive’s unique imaging systems combine quantitative data acquisition (such as dry mass and refractive index) with dynamic live-cell analysis, providing unprecedented insights into cellular processes such as mitochondrial dynamics, mitophagy, apoptosis, and bioenergetic responses.
Thanks to its AI-powered analytics, Nanolive enables high-throughput screening and detailed time-lapse analyses, empowering researchers to monitor cellular health, metabolic shifts, and drug responses with exceptional precision and without altering cell physiology. This includes the Smart Mitochondrial AssayLIVE, the world’s first fully automated solution for label-free, quantitative assessment of mitochondrial dynamics over time.
At the 2025 Congress, Nanolive will present how its label-free imaging platforms are being used to explore mitochondrial function in health and disease, and how this approach can accelerate the discovery of new therapies targeting mitochondrial dysfunction.
We are excited to count Nanolive among our partners and look forward to their contribution to the advancement of mitochondrial science.
For more information about Nanolive: www.nanolive.com
