Mitochondria, Aging, and Health

Mitochondria are commonly referred to as the powerhouses of cells because they create the energy necessary for cell function; however, these organelles do much more than that within our bodies. At Targeting Metabesity 2020 (www.metabesity2020.com) this past October, an expert panel led by mitochondrial genetics pioneer Dr. Doug Wallace discussed the key role of mitochondria in aging and health. While other "hallmarks of aging," such as senescence and epigenetics, represent important targets for extending healthy longevity, mitochondrial dysregulation and sequelae, such as inflammaging, are at the heart of the complex of chronic diseases of aging called “metabesity.” Join our panel for an updated dive into one of the major drivers of aging and health.

About the Speakers:
Douglas Wallace, PhD, is a geneticist and evolutionary biologist at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, where he serves as Director of the Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, and holds the Michael and Charles Barnett Endowed Chair in Pediatric Mitochondrial Medicine and Metabolic Diseases. More than 35 years ago, Dr. Wallace and his colleagues founded the field of human mitochondrial genetics, popularizing the concept of the ‘mitochondrial Eve’ from whom all humans alive today are descended. Wallace has a BS in Genetics and Developmental Biology from Cornell and a PhD in Microbiology and Human Genetics form Yale.

Francesca Fieni, PharmD, PhD, is the founder and CSO of Pano Therapeutics, a platform biotech company she spun out of UCSF focused on clinical development of drugs targeting mitochondrial ion channels to address complex diseases of aging and extend health span. Francesca earned a PharmD and a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy and subsequently pursued a postdoctoral fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston. She was an independent research associate/specialist at the University of California San Francisco before she turned entrepreneur.

Hazel Szeto, PhD, MD, is a research scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur in drug development. She received her MD and PhD in Pharmacology from Cornell and served on the faculty for 37 years. In 2016, Dr. Szeto left to direct research for Social Profit Network, a public charity supporting research to promote healthy aging and reduce age-associated disabilities. Dr. Szeto has developed the first class of compounds that selectively target mitochondria to enhance ATP production, repair mitochondria, regenerate tissues, and restore organ function. These compounds are now in clinical development sponsored by Stealth Biotherapeutics, a company founded by Dr. Szeto in 2006. Dr. Szeto’s research has resulted in over 200 peer-reviewed publications and more than 60 patents.

Michael Zemel, PhD, is founder and CSO of NuSirt Biopharma, where he leads research programs focused on energy-sensing and development of therapeutics for diseases of aging and over-nutrition. Previously, he was Professor of Nutrition and of Medicine at the University of Tennessee from 1990-2012, where his work focused on energy sensing, muscle-fat crosstalk, and regulation of adipocyte metabolism. Prior to the University of Tennessee, he served on the faculties of Endocrinology and of Nutrition at Wayne State University and as Research Endocrinologist at the VA Medical Center associated with Wayne State from 1980-1990, where his work focused on endocrine regulation of cell signaling and downstream effects on both blood pressure regulation and insulin sensitivity. Dr. Zemel received his PhD in Physiology and Nutrition at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.