Lifetime Achievement Award for landmark discovery

Presented at the inaugural International Symposium on Horizontal Mitochondrial Transfer and Dynamics in Prague, Czech Republic, the award recognises Prof Berridge’s groundbreaking 2015 discovery that challenged long-standing assumptions in cell biology. He found that mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses within our cells responsible for producing energy, can transfer from healthy cells to that lack functioning mitochondria, such as cancer cells. This ability for mitochondria to ‘jump’ between cells is called horizontal mitochondrial transfer and has profound implications for our understanding of cell biology and disease.

To truly appreciate why this discovery was so surprising, we must look at what we know about the DNA in our cells. Much of our DNA is constrained at the centre of our cells in a fiercely protected structure called the nucleus. However, there is a tiny but essential part of our DNA, which is often overlooked, within these tiny mitochondria that move around in our cells. 

“At the time, it was widely accepted that the genes in our DNA that encode proteins are constrained within cells and partition between cells only when they divide,” says Prof Berridge.

However, Prof Berridge’s finding suggests that in times of cellular stress, the mitochondria, along with the DNA inside them, can move from one cell to another.

This discovery has opened a whole new field of research which has culminated this year in the first international symposium. Attended by more than 100 researchers from around the globe, the conference was a showcase of how Prof Berridge’s initial discovery has branched out into a variety of fields, ranging from cardiovascular disease, cancer, bone health and regenerative medicine.  

“It’s an honour to see how far the field has expanded, it feels like this is just the beginning.”