Mitochondria Signaling in Physiology and Disease

Support is requested for a Keystone Symposia conference, “Mitochondria Signaling in Physiology and Disease,” organized by Drs. Navdeep S. Chandel and Aleksandra Trifunovic, with scientific programming input from Keystone Symposia. The meeting will take place February 9–12, 2026 at Keystone Resort in Keystone, Colorado. For decades, mitochondria were cast in the limited, yet essential role as powerhouses of the cell. In the past 25 years, this view has changed as mitochondria have emerged as a major signaling hub that dictates cellular fate and function to control cellular physiology. Aberrant mitochondrial signaling can cause diseases, which have historically been attributed to a lack of ATP within cells with mitochondrial dysfunctions. A novel conceptual framework for the role of mitochondria in cellular physiology has emerged, yet the mechanistic details of how mitochondrial signals dictate cell fate and function are not fully understood. While traditional views in the field emphasized impaired ATP production and increased oxidative stress as primary drivers of aging, recent research has highlighted additional mechanisms. These include the role of mitochondria-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS), metabolites, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) as key signaling molecules that regulate inflammation, epigenetic modifications, and cellular stress responses, offering new insights into their contribution to primary mitochondrial diseases, autoimmunity, aging and neurogenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease. This Keystone Symposia meeting aims to bring together a cross-disciplinary group of biologists, clinicians, and pharmaceutical scientists to broaden our basic understanding of the role of mitochondria as central signaling hubs in the cell, as well as address whether mitochondria can be targeted for a variety of diseases including inflammation and neurodegeneration, thereby reducing the burden of neurological disease. This meeting will support new collaborations geared toward improving disease-focused areas where mitochondria play critical roles. Attendees will also benefit from training workshops, panel discussions and a career roundtable, enhancing their skills and expertise in the field. Project Number: 1R13NS147855-01 | Fiscal Year: 2026 | NIH Institute/Center: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) | Principal Investigator: TERRY SHEPPARD | Institution: KEYSTONE SYMPOSIA, SILVERTHORNE, CO | Award Amount: $21,100 | Activity Code: R13 | Study Section: Special Emphasis Panel[ZRG1 SCIL-S (80)] View on NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11320593