Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Cells that make up different organs and tissues in our body rely on energy for proper function, such as muscle contraction, brain activity, regulation of fat storage, and immunity. Cellular metabolism is very important in providing this energy. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle (e.g., proper diet, being physically active) will preserve cellular metabolic function. However, aging and several age-related diseases negatively affect metabolic function, resulting in impairments in mobility, muscle wasting, cognitive decline, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and immune dysfunction. A central focus of our collective NSERC-funded research programs is to look at the role of cellular bioenergetic function under these different paradigms to complement whole body measures. To do so requires equipment that will allow us to fully examine cellular bioenergetic function in various tissues with a high level of accuracy and sensitivity. The O2k-FluoRespirometer system from Oroboros Instruments represents the only modular high-resolution system on the market with maximal sensitivity and precision using small amounts of biological samples. The proposed instrument will allow a full examination of cellular bioenergetic function in intact or permeabilized cells and tissues and subcellular fractions. The O2k system represent a critical piece of equipment that will complement current equipment in the lab and allow us the ability to fully characterized "bioenergetic phenotypes" of normal cellular function, their respective pathological trajectories, and resulting responses to lifestyle or pharmacological interventions. As Canada's population continues to age, there are ever-increasing healthcare burdens of age-related diseases and disabilities. However, it is imperative that we first understand the underlying cellular and subcellular bioenergetic mechanisms contributing to these age-related diseases. With this foundational information, we can then better understand how to maintain health and wellness as nearly as possible to the end of life, thus allowing for healthy aging of Canadians and enabling continued contribution of their knowledge and experience to our global society, reducing pressure on healthcare systems and improving quality of life more generally.