Principal Investigator

The overall theme of Dr. Tanecia Mitchell’s research has been to study disorders that affect the kidney and to identify potential ways to improve the health and quality of life of individuals with kidney disease. She has a broad background as well as specific training and expertise in mitochondrial function and oxidative stress. For her dissertation studies, Dr. Mitchell examined the effect of cold storage (ischemia) on mitochondrial function and oxidative stress in renal tubular cells and isolated rat kidneys. She determined that mitochondrial reactive oxygen species play a significant role in cold storage injury and this could be reduced by the mitochondrial targeted antioxidant, mitoquinone. As a postdoctoral fellow, she determined that oxidative stress and disruption in autophagy and mitochondrial quality in a Type 1 diabetes model contributes to pancreatic beta cell injury. In addition, Dr. Mitchell evaluated cellular bioenergetics in immune cells from patients diagnosed with chronic kidney disease to monitor disease progression. Dr. Mitchell’s current research investigates the role of diet on immune cell mitochondria and oxidative stress in kidney stone disease using human dietary feeding studies, animal models, and cell culture models. In addition, she also studies the role of immune cells in interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome. It is Dr. Mitchell’s hope that her research will provide relevant scientific information to help understand, prevent, and/or treat renal diseases and urological disorders.