The IPTN is delighted to announced that Dr. Ana Andreazza, PhD, an international leader in mitochondrial research, has joined the board of directors of the Institute for Personalized Therapeutic Nutrition.
“Dr. Andreazza will be an amazing asset to help us advance the mission and governance of the IPTN,” said Sean McKelvey, the CEO of IPTN. “She brings an enormous array of skills in cutting-edge research, multi-disciplinary collaboration, and knowledge mobilization, especially around mitochondrial dysfunction in mental health and cellular metabolism. And she has great energy and enthusiasm for the role of personalized therapeutic nutrition to improve mitochondrial and metabolic function, especially in mental illness.”
Dr. Andreazza is a Professor at the University of Toronto with dual appointments in the Departments of Pharmacology & Toxicology and Psychiatry. She also holds the Tier II Research Chair in Molecular Pharmacology of Mood Disorders and the Thomas C. Zachos Chair in Mitochondrial Research. She is the founder and Scientific Director of the Mitochondrial Innovation Initiative, MITO2i.
The winner of numerous prestigious research awards and an author on more than 150 high-impact journal articles, Dr. Andreazza’s key research focus is on the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in neurotransmission and psychiatric disorders, such as bipolar disorder.
Mitochondria are the tiny powerhouses inside cells that convert the food we eat into energy the body can use to drive almost all our cellular functions.
“It’s been said that without mitochondria, there is no life. And that is so true. The energy created by mitochondria, ATP, enables a heart to beat, a muscle to contract, a nerve cell to talk to another nerve cell, an eye to respond to the light,” said Dr. Andreazza. “The majority of chemical reactions in our cells requires ATP to happen. But that is just one role of mitochondria. The field of mitochondrial research is still very young, but we know they are essential in immune system functioning, hormone creation, cell signalling, cell cycle growth, repair and death, and more.”
Dr. Andreazza has discovered key dysfunctions in mitochondrial genes and is exploring how these irregularities affect neurotransmission in bipolar disorder. Her groundbreaking research could pave the way for personalized treatments for mood disorders.
“I feel strongly that we need to rethink mental health as a metabolic disorder and that personalized nutrition and lifestyle interventions are key to improve mental health care,” said Dr. Andreazza.
The IPTN, in the coming years, is expanding the focus of personalized therapeutic nutrition to include mental health conditions, that just like type 2 diabetes, are metabolic disorders that can be improved with personalized therapeutic nutrition.
“Joining the IPTN board is a great privilege,” said Dr. Andreazza. “I look forward to working with this exceptional team. Together we can help individuals enhance their metabolic and mental health through targeted nutritional and lifestyle interventions.”
We heartily welcome Dr. Andreazza to the IPTN!
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