Sarah Coffey

Program: Immunology

Current advisor: Jonathan R. Brestoff, MD, PhD, MPH

Undergraduate university: Princeton University, 2020

Enrollment year: 2022

Research summary
I am conducting research on mitochondria in immune cells in primary mitochondrial disease, a severe form of mitochondrial disease with no currently effective therapies.

My current project focuses on understanding how mitochondria transplantation could be used as a therapy for genetic mitochondrial diseases. Our lab recently showed that transplantation of mitochondria isolated from healthy mice to mice with a monogenic form of Leigh syndrome, a severe neurodegenerative disease in which mitochondrial respiration is significantly impaired due to a mutation in electron transport chain complex I, significantly extends lifespan and improves neurologic function. My work aims to determine the mechanism for this effect and the impact of mitochondria transplantation on the immune system. I am also studying the role of macrophages in Leigh syndrome progression, as macrophages have been shown to infiltrate the brain and skin of the well-established mouse model for Leigh syndrome and macrophage depletion extends lifespan in these mice.

Graduate publications