We welcome Dr. A. Phillip West to the board of directors of the California-based nonprofit National Laboratory for Education Transformation, www.NLET.org. “NLET” is the parent nonprofit of www.MitoWorld.org, our global mitochondrial community web-hub and blog site, and www.mitos.global, our collaborative platform for multi-institution and multi-PI single-subject projects, grants, and funding opportunities.

“We are honored to welcome Phillip to the NLET Board,” said Board Chair David Andrews. “His deep scientific expertise and international research stature will enhance our ability to convene and empower the global mitochondrial research community. Together, we will accelerate discoveries, build collaborative research platforms, and support the translation of mitochondrial science into clinical and societal solutions.”

Dr. West’s leadership, understanding of the growing mitochondrial field, and his scientific credentials will be pivotal in guiding these mitochondrial efforts to benefit the wider mitochondrial research and clinical communities by bringing support, awareness, and new tools to the field.

“I am delighted to join the NLET board at such a pivotal moment for mitochondrial science,” said Dr. West. “We are witnessing a fundamental shift in how mitochondria are understood, not merely as cellular powerhouses, but as central regulators of cellular signaling, immunity, and much more. MitoWorld and MITOS.Global represent exactly the kind of collaborative infrastructure our field needs to increase awareness of mitochondrial biology and translate discoveries into meaningful advances for human health. I look forward to contributing to NLET’s mission of building bridges between researchers, clinicians, and the general public as we work to elevate mitochondrial medicine on the global stage.”

Dr. West is an associate professor and principal investigator at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) in Bar Harbor, ME. In addition, he serves as a research program co-lead for the NCI-designated JAX Cancer Center, which is focused on understanding the role of aging in cancer development and progression. The West lab explores how mitochondria regulate innate immune and inflammatory responses in health and disease. His team has significantly advanced understanding of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) signaling and its influence on disease susceptibility and progression, including inflammatory heart failure, cancer, and rare mitochondrial diseases. He received his PhD in Immunobiology from Yale University and completed postdoctoral training at Yale School of Medicine. Learn more at www.westlaboratory.com. (JAX)

As a member of the NLET board, Dr. West will support strategic efforts to grow NLET’s biomedical informatics and collaboration initiatives. NLET’s MitoWorld™ platform serves as a global web hub connecting researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates to accelerate research and clinical collaboration in mitochondrial medicine. This platform disseminates cutting-edge research, supports patient communities, and fosters interdisciplinary science in mitochondrial health and disease.

Complementing this, NLET will be looking for resources to support frontline research with MITOS.Global as a networked institute devoted to comprehensively understanding mitochondrial biology across health, aging, and disease—integrating basic science with AI-driven informatics and global research collaboration to forge new frontiers in mitochondrial science.

About National Laboratory for Education Transformation

The National Laboratory for Education Transformation (www.NLET.org) is a nonprofit dedicated to innovative research and transformative strategies in education, science, and health. NLET convenes experts and stakeholders across domains to challenge traditional paradigms and advance interdisciplinary research and practice. As part of its mission, NLET fosters initiatives connecting global research communities, with a special focus on emerging scientific priorities, including mitochondrial science and biomedical informatics.

Media Contact:
Gordon Freedman
gordon.freedman@nlet.org