Elizabeth Jonas, M.D.

Javits Award
Image
photo of Elizabeth Jonas
Institution
Yale University, New Haven, CT

Dr. Elizabeth Jonas has a long-standing interest in understanding the mechanisms of mitochondrial physiology and pathophysiology, the healthy regulation of which is key to energy efficiency in the nervous system. She developed novel techniques for the investigation of mitochondria, was the first to record the activity of mitochondrial ion channels in intact neurons and synapses and has made seminal discoveries surrounding the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), a widely recognized target for preventing heart damage. For this project, she proposes to target ion channels on the inner mitochondrial membrane as a therapeutic strategy to reduce or prevent deficits during glutamate excitotoxicity in neurons and in mouse models. The proposed work has the potential to provide new pharmacological approaches by defining the importance of the mPTP in neuronal pathology.