Luana Naia new research group leader at NVS
The Division of Neurogeriatrics and NVS are gaining yet another new research group leader as Luana Naia steps forward with her newly established group, Brain Mitochondrial Communications.
What is the research focus of your group?
”Our research focuses on mitochondria, the organelles that produce most of the cell’s energy and are especially important in the highly energy-demanding brain. We investigate how mitochondria communicate within and between brain cells, and how this communication influences cellular cooperation, metabolic adaptation and resilience in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. We also study distinct mitochondrial states, which we call “mitotypes”, and how their functions differ across cell types and change during disease progression”, says Luana Naia, at the Division of Neurogeriatrics, NVS.
What is the goal of your research?
”Our overarching goal is to understand how mitochondrial alterations contribute to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, and why some cells and individuals may be more resilient than others. In the longer term, we hope to identify new biomarkers and therapeutic strategies that reflect these differences. Ultimately, this could help stratify patients according to their mitochondrial and metabolic dysfunction and identify those most likely to benefit from mitochondria-targeted therapies”.
Who are the members of your research group, and what is the name of the group?
”We are currently a small group consisting of myself, PhD student Liesbeth Voorbraeck, postdoctoral researcher Jesús Alarcón-Gil, and visiting master’s students Shama Kandavalli and Eleni Tsamadia. The group is called Brain Mitochondrial Communications, a name that reflects how surprisingly social and communicative mitochondria are – which is precisely what I find so fascinating about them”.
What are you most looking forward to now as a research group leader?
”I am most looking forward to building a close and creative team, where people feel supported while developing their own ideas and scientific independence. I am also excited to shape a distinct research direction for the group and to establish new collaborations – both within KI and internationally – that bring together different perspectives and allow us to address ambitious questions”.