Research into mitochondrial disease (mito) is a core pillar of Mito Foundation's work. Only through research will we one day find treatments and cures for mito. Find out more about our research and medical grant program.
We recently interviewed Ross Stocker, a PhD candidate and mitoHOPE research embryologist. He is researching techniques to improve mitochondrial donation. Mitochondrial donation is an IVF-based technique. It offers real hope for families with certain forms of mito to have healthy children of their own. mitoHOPE is the pilot program for mitochondrial donation in Australia.
We are supporting Ross' work through a PhD Top-up Scholarship. This grant type supports emerging scientists to conduct mito research.
Often it takes a long time for what is learnt in research to be used in health care. Ross is part of the mitoHOPE team. He works with the embryologists who will use these techniques in the pilot program. This means his findings can be put straight into practice.
Read our interview with Ross Stocker to find out more about his work and its benefit to the mito community.
When did you first begin your work in mito research, and what attracted you to this field?
As a child of IVF, I’ve always had an interest in the field of fertility. While working as a clinical embryologist for several years in the USA and Australia, I always felt a special connection with, and desire to help my patients who lived with genetic conditions. When the opportunity arose to work with John Carroll in such a cutting-edge field of research, I jumped at it. Investigating mitochondrial donation offered an avenue to help develop a brand-new treatment in Australia. I personally enjoy the challenges that such a novel and technical treatment provides me as a researcher. Also, the direct impact of the research on both the mito and wider communities continuously motivates and interests me.
What are you currently researching?
Mitochondrial donation offers an avenue to prevent the inheritance of mitochondrial disease. This therapy takes place during IVF treatment. It involves transplanting the nucleus from an egg or embryo containing faulty mitochondria to an enucleated, donor egg or embryo containing healthy mitochondria. This reconstructs an egg or embryo which contains the healthy donated mitochondria, and the nucleus from either one or both the prospective parents.
My research aims to improve mitochondrial donation techniques. I plan to do this by minimising any possible carryover of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to the reconstructed egg or embryo. I'm trialling 2 approaches to achieve this. First, degradation of mtDNA in the affected embryo or egg. Second, inducing mitochondrial aggregation in the affected embryo or egg. Both these approaches involve an extra treatment step for the affected embryo or egg, before the mitochondrial donation process takes place.
Reducing mtDNA carryover and understanding the role and impact that any carryover has in regard to the health of any subsequent children will be a key part of improving mitochondrial donation techniques.
What is your role within the mitoHOPE team?
My main role within the mitoHOPE team is to train the Monash IVF embryologists in the techniques they need to learn to successfully perform mitochondrial donation. I’m also helping to set up our laboratory at Monash University for preclinical research.
What do you hope to achieve with your research? How will this benefit the mito community?
My research will hopefully help mitochondrial donation in Australia become more effective and more reliable. It is essential that we offer our mito community the safest and most up-to-date mitochondrial donation treatment available. Doing this will provide the mito community with the opportunity to have the healthiest, happiest children possible.
How has Mito Foundation helped in your research journey?
The Mito Foundation has generously supported my research journey with a PhD Top-up Scholarship. This has been an incredible help, allowing me to focus on my research instead of having to support myself financially with another part-time job. Mito Foundation has also supported my travel to scientific conferences. This helps me share my work with the rest of the scientific community as well as allows me to learn from others around the world in the same field.
Are there studies or projects that relate to your work or have inspired you?
I’m always inspired by my mentors, especially Jeff Mann, a senior researcher here at Monash University, who has decades of experience in the field. Mary Herbert’s work in getting mitochondrial donation into the clinic in the UK is also incredible. Along with my supervisor John Carroll, they all have so much knowledge and wisdom, and I’m continuously privileged and inspired to work with and learn from them.
Mito Foundation’s Bloody Long Walk is particularly inspiring, to see all the work that goes into making it happen, as well as all the people who raise money for and support it. I’ve enjoyed participating in it myself!
