Now On-Demand: Keystone Symposia’s Mitochondria Signaling in Physiology and Disease

If you missed the Keystone Symposia conference Mitochondria Signaling in Physiology and Disease—held February 9–12, 2026 at Keystone Resort in Colorado—you now have a second chance. On Demand registration is open, giving you access to the full main-session program from one of the most significant gatherings in mitochondrial biology in recent years. See: keystonesymposia.org/conferences/conference-listing/meeting/onpage-program/b12026.

What the Meeting Was About

Co-organized by Navdeep S. Chandel, Ph.D. (Northwestern University), and Aleksandra Trifunovic, Ph.D. (University of Cologne), the symposium brought together basic scientists, clinicians, and industry researchers around a single ambitious premise: that mitochondria are not simply the cell’s power generators, but dynamic signaling hubs that coordinate metabolism, stress responses, redox biology, proteostasis, and immune activation across virtually every tissue in the body.

In Their Own Words

Dr. Chandel reflected on what the symposium set out to accomplish and what it achieved:

“The objective was to convene a cross-disciplinary community of basic scientists, clinicians, and industry researchers to redefine mitochondria not merely as bioenergetic organelles, but as dynamic signaling hubs that coordinate metabolism, stress responses, redox biology, proteostasis, and immune activation across tissues. By all measures, the meeting achieved these aims. Sessions were intellectually rigorous and highly interactive, trainees were prominently featured through talks and poster sessions, and discussions frequently extended beyond scheduled programming. Many attendees remarked on the collaborative atmosphere and the breadth of disciplines represented, reflecting a field that is both expanding and increasingly integrated.”

Maulik Patel, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Metabolism and Nutritional Programming, Van Andel Institute, offers succinct summary of the Symposium, underscoring the objectives of the gathering.

“It had been some time since I last attended a mitochondrial meeting, so the Keystone Symposium on Mitochondrial Signaling in Physiology and Disease provided a valuable snapshot of where the field now stands. While the idea of mitochondria as signaling hubs is not new, what was striking is how pervasive and mechanistically defined these roles have become—spanning metabolism, immunity, proteostasis, and aging.

The level of technical sophistication was particularly impressive: researchers can now trace signaling events from a mitochondrial metabolite all the way to specific molecular targets, sometimes down to single-residue modifications, making the conclusions far more rigorous and convincing. The meeting also showcased the extraordinary range of scales at which mitochondria are studied, from atomic-resolution structural work to whole-organism physiology, underscoring just how integrative and exciting mitochondrial biology has become.”

Janine H. Santos, Ph.D., Group Leader, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), underscores bridging basic science with translational and clinical work.

The Keystone Symposia meeting “Mitochondria Signaling in Physiology and Disease” stands out for its forward-looking reframing of mitochondria as dynamic, cell-type–specific signaling hubs that actively shape cell fate, adaptation, and disease. This perspective places mitochondrial biology at the center of physiology and pathophysiology, including in aging. The program is especially compelling for its integration of diverse areas of mitochondrial research such as metabolite, mtDNA, and redox signaling alongside stress adaptation and emerging technologies. By bridging basic science with translational and clinical insights, it highlights shared mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities across diseases. Its highly interactive format further fosters learning, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and  networking, which are particularly attractive and important for young investigators.

Antonio Enriquez, Ph.D., from the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares in Madrid, offered a framing of why this meeting stands apart from other conferences in the field:

“The Keystone Symposia meeting explicitly reframes mitochondria from a ‘powerhouse’ housekeeping role into central signaling hubs capable of being tailored for cell type and physiologically changing conditions, shaping cell fate and disease—bringing together basic, translational, and clinical perspectives in one tightly integrated program. In addition to the scientific sessions, the meeting format was designed to maximize cross-career and cross-sector interactions (e.g., poster sessions, a therapy-focused panel, and a dedicated Career Roundtable), making it particularly strong for generating collaborations and for trainees to get targeted career guidance.”

Lena Pernas, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics at UCLA and session chair for the Mitochondria Metabolite Signaling session, highlights broad participation:

“The Keystone Mitochondria Signaling in Physiology and Disease showcased talks from researchers who do not traditionally identify as mitochondrial biologists, which brought fresh conceptual approaches to the field. The meeting also highlighted the power of emerging technologies being applied to mitochondrial questions, opening exciting new experimental possibilities. I also very much enjoyed the panel discussions on therapeutic translation, which underscored the impact of mitochondrial research beyond basic biology.”

Mike Murphy, Ph.D., Program Leader at the MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit and a panelist on the therapy challenges session, appreciates the scientific breadth:

“Some highlights of the meeting were the expansion of metabolic perspectives and regulatory networks on how mitochondria operate in health and disease. Related to this is the development of multiomic approaches and tools, such as that of Dave Pagliarini, that are empowering this next stage in mitochondrial research. The links of these approaches to understanding pathology and potential therapies were also inspiring.”

David J. Pagliarini, Ph.D., HHMI and BJC Investigator, Hugo F. and Ina C. Urbauer Professor, Washington University Medicine, emphasizes the new tools he was exposed to and the value they bring to the field:

“This Keystone meeting featured cutting-edge tool development (e.g., new mitochondrial sensors and screening modalities), new signaling paradigms (via metabolites and PTMs), unexpected mitochondrial interactions with other organelles and external pathogens, and a beautiful summary of where the field stands in our collective quest for new therapeutics.”

Pol Castellano Escuder, Ph.D., a computational biologist and AI researcher currently at the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute (DMPI) and CTO of https://www.heurekalabs.co/, brings a new AI perspective into the mitochondrial research and clinical community.

“Heureka Labs was thrilled to attend the Keystone Symposium on Mitochondria Signaling in Colorado. It was energizing to see the breadth of pathways being explored and the discoveries coming out of this community, and particularly fascinating to watch how so many threads of modern multi-omics research keep converging. As one researcher put it, ‘all roads lead to the mitochondria eventually.’ Between the new tools, methods, and technologies being shared, it’s a genuinely exciting time to study mitochondria and their role in physiology. What the conference also made clear is that data proliferation and the push toward cross-disciplinary integration are outpacing what traditional approaches can handle.

Larissa Govers, a doctoral candidate in the Lab for Retinal Cell Biology at the University of Zurich gave perhaps the most personal account. She presented her work on the metabolic consequences of chronic hypoxia on mitochondrial function in photoreceptor cells:

“What began as a nerve-wracking solo trip across the pond turned into an experience that strengthened my scientific foundation and expanded my network within the field. I left the meeting feeling energized and deeply motivated to continue to grow as a researcher within this collaborative environment. As an early investigator who is relatively new to the field of mitochondrial signaling, attending a conference by yourself specifically focusing on this topic can be an overwhelming experience. There are countless new people to meet and so much to learn from the experts who have shaped the field. Still, deciding to attend this Keystone meeting to deepen my foundation in mitochondrial research was one of the best decisions I could have made.

Beyond the opportunity to expand my knowledge and generate new research ideas, I was blown away by the open culture within this community. I got to meet a lot of new people, and every person I met was inspiring and motivating in their own way. I was particularly grateful for the leaders in the field, who made time to listen to early investigators, gave us direction in our projects, supported us in our career development, and most importantly encouraged us to become the next generation of scientists who will continue advancing mitochondrial research.”

How to Register for the  On-Demand Program

The On Demand recordings cover all main-session presentations from the Grays Peak conference room. On Demand Registration here: https://www.keystonesymposia.org/conferences/conference-listing/meeting/pricing/B12026