In Spring of 2020, the TANGO2 Research Foundation granted Dr. Michael Sacher and Dr. Felix Distelmaier an award for their research proposal entitled Characterization Of Human TANGO2: From Biological Function To Therapeutic Strategies. Less than a year later, we are pleased to share that we already have research updates and progress.

Dr. Sacher and his team have used fibroblasts from three different individuals harboring TANGO2 mutations to show a TANGO2-dependent block in transport between the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi. They also showed that a portion of TANGO2 localizes to the mitochondria and its absence affects mitochondria morphology. The results of this study were published in the Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease (Milev et al, 2020)

In a recent podcast, Dr Sebastian Montealgre, Dr Pascale de Lonlay, Dr Felix Distelmaier and Dr Michael Sacher explained what they observed and the implications of those findings. The podcast, “It takes two to TANGO2” can be heard by following this link.

Our Foundation is proud and grateful for our researchers and their progress thus far. We are also immensely thankful to the volunteers on the Research Committee and Scientific Advisory Board and to our donors for continuing to support our Foundation so that we are able to make progress toward treatments and a cure for TANGO2 disease.