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If Part 1 changed the way you think about mitochondria, there’s even more to know.

Mitochondria can move between cells, they help determine when damaged cells should die, and they respond and adapt to signals from their environment.

The deeper we look, the clearer the bigger picture becomes: mitochondrial biology is connected across human health.

Beyond primary mitochondrial disease, mitochondrial dysfunction is being studied across cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic disease, neurodegeneration, muscle loss, aging, and more. Yet mitochondrial science remains overlooked and underfunded.

That’s why Countdown is accelerating mitochondrial science and medicine and bringing cellular energy to the center of human health. And we invite you to join us.

Save, share, and tell us: which of the 12 facts surprised you most? 👇🏼

Remember what you learned about mitochondria in 7th-grade biology? "The powerhouse of the cell.” Turns out, that was only the beginning.

We’re updating that 7th-grade knowledge with 12 facts about your mitochondria that might surprise you starting with Part 1.

Small but mighty, mitochondria do far more than make energy. The deeper we look, the more we understand just how connected they are to the biology of health, disease, aging, resilience, and so much more.

And that’s exactly why mitochondrial research matters. Advancing our understanding of mitochondrial biology can open new ways to understand, prevent, and treat disease, reshaping how we think about human health.

Start with Part 1: six things you may not know about your mitochondria. Part 2 is coming next.

Save, share, and tell us: which fact surprised you most? 👇

Your mitochondria are constantly responding and adapting to the world around you. From how you move and sleep to the light and temperatures you’re exposed to.

These signals can influence how mitochondria function, adapt, and meet the changing energy demands of your cells.

So, how does your lifestyle shape your mitochondria?
Swipe to explore five everyday signals and the mitochondrial science behind them.

Your daily environment becomes part of your cellular environment.

Countdown’s next chapter starts now.

We’re incredibly proud to welcome Julie Teer as Chief Executive Officer of Countdown, effective September 1st.

Julie joins Countdown at a pivotal moment in our growth as we accelerate our impact in mitochondrial science and medicine and bring cellular energy to the center of human health.

With more than two decades of leadership experience, Julie has built organizations, scaled impact, and turned ambitious visions into measurable results. From Susan G. Komen and Boys & Girls Clubs of America to Wellstar Health System, where she built the Wellstar Foundation from the ground up, she brings an extraordinary track record and a deep belief in Countdown’s mission and the opportunity ahead.

Please join us in welcoming Julie. We invite our community to reach out, introduce yourself, and connect with her. She is excited to get to know the people who make this community what it is.

Welcome to Countdown, Julie. We couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead. Read the press release https://joincountdown.org/news/countdown-appoints-julie-teer-as-chief-executive-officer/

We’re honored to see Countdown and our founder, Mitzi Solomon, featured in Hamptons Magazine | Modern Luxury, sharing her personal story and the mission behind Countdown: to accelerate mitochondrial science and medicine and bring cellular energy to the center of human health.

Thank you to Lynn A. Scotti for the opportunity and Haven Hathaway for the for telling our story.

This work is deeply personal and urgently needed. As discoveries move from research labs into everyday conversations, Countdown is helping shape a new era of health, one that recognizes the interconnected systems behind how we age, prevent disease, and live healthier lives, which begins with our mitochondria.

Read the full article, link in bio.
Photo credit: Sara Hanna, ALEXANDRA ZAK-JOHNSON

The glow up we all wanted. ✨

While it's not enough for your eyes to see, it's enough for scientists to measure.

Every cell emits tiny amounts of light, known as biophotons, as a natural byproduct of metabolism. Highlighted in a recent Nature article, researchers are now exploring whether these subtle patterns could help detect disease earlier, before symptoms even appear.

We're especially proud that Countdown Scientific & Medical Advisory Board member Dr. Nirosha Murugan (Nirosha J. Murugan) is helping lead this exciting area of research, investigating whether biophoton signatures can distinguish cancerous cells from healthy ones, which can open doors for new diagnostics.

It's another reminder that when we invest in mitochondrial science and medicine, we're investing in the future of human health.

Link in bio for the full article. Energy is everything. 🔬

We spend so much of our energy fighting disease. And rightfully so, the toll is devastating, on our bodies, our minds, our families.

But there’s a common thread running through every disease on this list: mitochondrial dysfunction. Yet the science behind it remains one of the most overlooked and underfunded areas of medical research.

Mitochondria aren’t just our cells’ energy source, they’re signaling hubs. They communicate. They move. Without them there is no life. When our environment, stress, diet, lifestyle, or genetics cause them to falter, the downstream impact is disease.

We believe mitochondria are the future of prevention and health itself. If we move our funding and research upstream, learning to diagnose, treat, and prevent mitochondrial dysfunction itself, we don’t just treat these diseases, we prevent them.

Join us in funding in the research that will change how we treat health — not decades from now, but in the years ahead.

Energy is everything. 🔗 link in bio to donate and get involved.

Muscle loss can begin as early as your 30s — it’s one of the strongest predictors of how well you age, and it’s driven by mitochondrial dysfunction.

Countdown just funded Dr. James McCully, Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and the Department of Cardiac Surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital, to apply a strategy already proven to work: mitochondrial transplantation, the same approach that helped restore heart function in a critically ill infant, who is now a thriving 12-year-old. Now it’s being applied to Duchenne muscular dystrophy — the hardest case there is, and exactly why we’re starting here. When the research validates its success, the model can extend to every case where muscle loss happens.

Link in bio for more details and press release.