MITO-MAP
Mitochondria
Mapping Altitude Physiology
MITO-MAP
Mitochondria
Mapping Altitude Physiology
Our laboratory provides a research environment dedicated to investigating mitochondrial function, cellular metabolism, and physiological adaptation to hypoxia. Equipped with specialized scientific instrumentation, MITO-MAP supports experimental research, international collaborations, and scientific training in the unique high-altitude environment of the Bolivian Andes.
These facilities are available to support collaborative research projects and specialized scientific services, subject to technical feasibility and prior coordination with the MITO-MAP team
MITO-MAP operates an Oroboros Oxygraph-2k (O2k) in La Paz, Bolivia, at 3,600 m above sea level. This high-resolution respirometry system enables precise measurements of mitochondrial oxygen consumption, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), electron transport system (ETS) capacity, and respiratory coupling in cells, tissues, and mitochondrial preparations.
Its location at high altitude provides a unique opportunity to investigate mitochondrial bioenergetics under natural chronic hypobaric hypoxia, supporting comparative physiology, evolutionary adaptation studies, and international research collaborations.
MITO-MAP operates a Panasonic VIP PLUS ultra-low temperature freezer (−80 °C) at its La Paz laboratory. This equipment provides controlled, long-term storage of biological specimens, including tissues, blood-derived samples, and material intended for molecular and biochemical analyses.
This infrastructure supports high-altitude research by preserving samples collected under natural hypobaric hypoxia for subsequent investigations in mitochondrial biology, proteomics, transcriptomics, and other molecular applications.
MITO-MAP is equipped with an analytical balance for accurate weighing of laboratory reagents, chemicals, and biological samples. Its enclosed weighing chamber minimizes disturbances from air movement, supporting precise and reproducible measurements.
This instrument is essential for preparing experimental solutions, standardizing sample quantities, and supporting biochemical and mitochondrial research protocols conducted at our high-altitude laboratory in La Paz, Bolivia.
MITO-MAP maintains Sprague–Dawley rats and FVB mice under natural hypobaric hypoxia in La Paz, Bolivia, at approximately 3,600 m above sea level. Of particular scientific value, our FVB mouse colony has been maintained at high altitude for more than 50 generations, providing a unique model for investigating long-term physiological and mitochondrial adaptation to chronic oxygen limitation.
These animal models support research into mitochondrial
bioenergetics, respiratory regulation, brain development, metabolic plasticity, and the mechanisms underlying resilience to hypoxia. They also provide opportunities for comparative studies across developmental stages and experimental conditions.
MITO-MAP facilitates collaborative research involving native Andean species, including llamas (Lama glama), alpacas (Vicugna pacos), guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus), and leaf-eared mice (Phyllotis spp.).
These species provide valuable comparative models for investigating the physiological, metabolic, and evolutionary mechanisms that sustain life under chronic high-altitude hypoxia. Their distinct evolutionary histories offer opportunities to identify both shared and species-specific strategies of mitochondrial adaptation, oxygen utilization, and metabolic resilience.
Through collaborations with local and international research partners, MITO-MAP supports comparative studies aimed at uncovering the biological principles underlying adaptation to oxygen-limited environments.
Through its collaboration with BIOMOLAB, a clinical diagnostics and molecular biology laboratory in La Paz, MITO-MAP provides researchers with access to complementary laboratory capabilities supporting high-altitude physiology, mitochondrial biology, and translational research.
These capabilities include clinical biochemistry, hematological assessments, molecular analyses, and biological sample processing, depending on project requirements and technical availability.
This collaboration facilitates the integration of physiological, biochemical, and molecular measurements in human and experimental studies, strengthening MITO-MAP's capacity to support multidisciplinary research under natural high-altitude conditions.
Cognitio is a digital platform for cognitive assessment developed by Dr Edith Schneider's research group at the University Hospital Zurich (USZ). It comprises a battery of ten cognitive tasks designed to investigate attention, memory, and executive functions, with assessments available in English, Spanish, and Russian.
Integrated into MITO-MAP's international research collaborations, Cognitio provides a valuable tool for investigating cognitive performance and adaptation to chronic hypoxia, particularly in high-altitude populations.
