About us
The mitoHOPE Program is piloting the introduction of mitochondrial donation into Australian clinical practice.
The program includes:
- a clinical trial to determine the safety and efficacy of mitochondrial donation,
- a research program to refine existing mitochondrial donation techniques, and
- an education program to increase health practitioners' knowledge about mitochondrial disease.
The mitoHOPE Program’s clinical trial is the first of its kind in Australia, and only the second in the world. The program will build on a long-standing partnership between Monash University and Newcastle University (UK), where the world’s first mitochondrial donation clinical trial took place. The mitoHOPE Program brings together expertise and experience from both centres to provide hope to families affected by mitochondrial disease.
Learn more about mitochondrial disease and mitochondrial donation.
Maeve’s Law
The mitoHOPE Program was developed in collaboration with the Mito Foundation, whose advocacy for the mito community led to the introduction of the Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve’s Law) Bill 2021 in March 2021.
On the day Maeve’s Law was passed, a mito community advocate said: One day I will hold my grandbaby and they will be free of mito. It is inconceivable to me, but tonight the wildest dream became a reality.
The mitoHOPE Program team is committed to making the hopes of this advocate and the mito community a reality. The program will continue to work with the Mito Foundation and the mito community to ensure all aspects of the program are designed and performed in a way that helps the people most affected by mito – the mito community.
The mitoHOPE Program is supported by the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) through the Emerging Priorities and Consumer Driven Research Initiative and contributions from our partner organisations.