The study of mitochondria in health and disease - mitochondrial medicine - is one of the main research topics of the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre. The various research lines are integrated in a centre with international reputation- the Nijmegen Centre for Mitochondrial Disorders. In this centre fundamentally-oriented and applied studies that range “from molecule to man” are carried out under the guidance of scientist with a clinical, (cell)biological or (bio)chemical background. The information gathered is used for the development of new treatment modalities for diseases and adverse-health conditions in which the mitochondrial energy capacity is decreased. Defects of the oxidative phosphorylation system in man are amongst the most frequently encountered inborn errors of metabolism and the study of patients with these devastating disorders has revealed important information about the role that mitochondria play in the normal process of ageing in e.g. neurodegenerative disease like Parkinson disease.
Prof. dr. Jan A.M. Smeitink, MD, PhD
Director Nijmegen Centre for Mitochondrial Disorders
The NCMD research is acknowledged in the Institute for Genetic and Metabolic Disease, the graduate school Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences (NCMLS) and the Centre for Systems Biology and Bioenergetics of the Radboud University aNijmegen and its Medical Centre. The NCMD is partner of the EU-concerted action MitEuro, Mitocircle. MitoFood, and EUMITOCOMBAT consortium.
Research in our center is possible thanks to grants from the Prinses Beatrix Fonds, Fonds Beoefening Wetenschap Kindergeneeskunde, The UMCN, Dutch Scientific Organisation (NWO), the European Community's Framework Programmes, ALW, and the Tim Foundation. The NCMD is powered by the Energy4All Foundation.
