I am currently a PhD student in the Kittler Lab and I am investigating the role of mitochondrial trafficking in neuronal function and how deficits in this process may lead to the deregulation of brain activity. Neuronal signalling is energetically very expensive. The supply of ATP and calcium buffering is provided by the mitochondria and therefore their positioning must be strictly regulated. Neurons are characterised by an exaggerated polar morphology. Therefore, specialised mechanisms have evolved to distribute mitochondria to sites of high energy demand in order to meet the metabolic needs of the cell. Miro1, a mitochondrial Rho GTPase, is an integral protein in the process of mitochondrial trafficking and is responsible for transporting mitochondria to sites of high energy demand and calcium buffering. By utilising mouse genetics and live-imaging approaches my project investigates the role of Miro1 in mitochondrial dynamics in neurons, in the hope to uncover mechanisms that underlie neurological disorders.