#66 - Vamsi Mootha, M.D.: Aging, type 2 diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease – do all roads lead to mitochondria?

In this episode, Dr. Vamsi Mootha, an expert in mitochondrial biology and investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, shares his breadth of knowledge on the mitochondrion organelle: its history, function, genome architecture, and his research of rare mitochondrial dysfunction. Vamsi is currently focused on finding clinical treatments for the 300-some identified rare disorders, but in this work there is a wealth of potential implications in the context of longevity and chronic disease. In this conversation, Vamsi elucidates how the latest research could give insight into conditions related to aging, including but not limited to Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, cancer, and much more. We also explore some of the most exciting potential therapies for mitochondrial diseases such as hypoxia (oxygen deprivation), how exercise affects the mitochondria, the use of hyperbaric chambers for cancer therapy, and the mechanisms by which Metformin might confer longevity benefits in a non-diabetic individual. We discuss: The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard [8:00]; Vamsi's academic background [10:30]; Advice for college students and med students considering a career in medicine and/or medical research [15:30]; Vamsi's focus on mitochondria and mitochondrial disorders [20:00]; The mitochondrial genome: Lineage, endosymbiosis, and reductive evolution [23:15]; How many diseases can be attributed to mitochondrial mutations? [28:45]; Nuclear DNA and mtDNA: Roles, interaction, communication, and biogenesis [31:30]; Which cells have the most mitochondrial DNA? And how often does mitochondria turn-over in a cell? [37:30]; Does ALL of your mitochondrial DNA come from your mother? [40:00]; Mitochondria 101: The powerhouse of the cell, electron transport chain, and the NADH/NAD ratio [44:00]; NAD and NADH: Role in the mitochondria, decline of NAD levels with age, and what it means to age at a mitochondrial level [51:30]; Mitochondri