Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

The human body is composed of many functioning cells that work together in order to maintain a healthy organism. Within most of these cells, subunits called mitochondria exist. Mitochondria have often been called the powerhouses of the cell, as they are the primary producers of ATP, a form of energy. Once produced, ATP can diffuse out of the mitochondria and be used for other cellular processes such as the contraction of muscles. Mitochondria are surrounded by membranes that enclose all of their contents. These mitochondrial membranes are constantly remodelled in an effort to ensure the proper structure, function and health of the cell. These membranes are composed of structures called phospholipids, an example of which is cardiolipin (CL). CL is of particular importance because it is directly involved with the production of ATP. Proper production and remodelling of CL involves many modulators, including one that is called tafazzin. When tafazzin is mutated, it does not properly remodel CL, resulting in Barth Syndrome in humans, a disorder that leads to numerous maladies such as heart disease. Many other conditions can lead to the improper remodelling of CL and these have been associated with disorders such as insulin resistance and diabetes. In an effort to better understand CL regulation, I will be analyzing the factors that modulate it. In previous work, models of exercise have been shown to increase CL content, and models of chronic muscle disuse have been shown to decrease it. Thus, I will be examining how these same models of exercise and muscle disuse affect the modulators of CL in an effort to shed light on this crucial molecule linked to human health.