• Press Release

Mount Sinai Recognized for Excellence in Mitochondrial Care

Icahn School of Medicine is designated a certified mitochondrial care center as part of the newly formed Mitochondrial Care Network

  • New York, NY
  • (October 29, 2018)

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has been recognized as a certified Mitochondrial Medicine Center by the Mitochondrial Care Network, a newly established collaborative founded by four national mitochondrial disease advocacy groups. The certification recognizes centers for dedication to mitochondrial medicine. Pankaj Prasun, MD, and Bryn Webb, MD, co-directors of the Mitochondrial Medicine Program at Mount Sinai, were also cited as leaders in this field of care.

The Mitochondrial Care Network was formed to formally unify clinicians who provide medical care to individuals with mitochondrial disease; define, design, and implement best practices in mitochondrial medicine; and optimize management and care for affected patients. Factors considered by the Network include current and prior patient volume, multidisciplinary approach, and hospital/center support.

The Mitochondrial Medicine Program at the Mount Sinai Genetics Faculty Practice combines cutting-edge research, state-of-the-art diagnostics, and novel therapies to provide comprehensive disease evaluation, counseling, and management for patients suspected of or diagnosed with mitochondrial disease.

"We are honored to join this world-class group of clinicians and institutions to share our experiences and ideas with," said Dr. Webb. "In addition to being a hub of support, we hope this newly formed network will help raise awareness about the prevalence of mitochondrial disorders."

The Mount Sinai Genetics Faculty Practice and its respective specialty clinics and programs fall under the Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the country dedicated to the understanding, prevention, and treatment of birth defects and more than 6,800 rare chromosomal or single gene disorders. The Department is ranked No. 4 nationally for National Institutes of Health funding for genetics research, and is fueled by an institution-wide initiative in Precision Medicine, making it uniquely positioned to make great advances in the field.

“Collaborative medicine has time and time again exemplified strength in numbers,” said Dr. Prasun. “By leveraging both our partnership with the Mitochondrial Care Network and Mount Sinai’s legacy of genomic research and clinical care in genetics, we hope to bring our pioneering ideas to life and improve the standard of care for those with mitochondrial disease.”

Drs. Prasun and Webb say this designation will help them provide care to an increasing number of mitochondrial patients in the era of genomic and precision medicine.

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai joins the following list of hospitals and research centers in the Mitochondrial Care Network: Akron Children’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Cleveland Clinic, Columbia University Medical Center, Children’s National Health System, Johns Hopkins University/Kennedy Krieger Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Stanford University, University of California San Diego, University of California San Francisco, University of Maryland and the University of Texas McGovern Medical School.

For more information regarding the Mitochondrial Care Network visit: www.mitonetwork.org.


About the Mount Sinai Health System

Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with 48,000 employees working across eight hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, more than 600 research and clinical labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time—discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it.

Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients’ medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes approximately 9,000 primary and specialty care physicians and 11 free-standing joint-venture centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida. Hospitals within the System are consistently ranked by Newsweek’s® “The World’s Best Smart Hospitals, Best in State Hospitals, World Best Hospitals and Best Specialty Hospitals” and by U.S. News & World Report's® “Best Hospitals” and “Best Children’s Hospitals.” The Mount Sinai Hospital is on the U.S. News & World Report® “Best Hospitals” Honor Roll for 2024-2025.

For more information, visit https://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on FacebookTwitter and YouTube.