Mitochondrial research sits at the convergence of bioenergetics, genetics, cell biology, and disease, producing a rich but fragmented landscape of data types: respirometry measurements, mitochondrial proteomes, mtDNA sequencing datasets, imaging of mitochondrial dynamics, and functional readouts from disease models. Community resources such as MitoCarta and MitoXplorer provide important reference points, but the broader ecosystem of mitochondrial data remains poorly connected and difficult to reuse across studies and model systems.
This Research Topic focuses on advancing FAIR data practices in mitochondrial biology, from standardised metadata for bioenergetics assays and consistent reporting of respiratory chain measurements, to interoperability between mitochondrial proteomics datasets and cross-species integration of mtDNA variant data. Standardisation of respirometry data from platforms such as the Seahorse XF Analyser, where community reporting norms remain underdeveloped, is a particular priority. Standardisation of respiratory chain complex activity assay data, where protocols vary considerably across laboratories, is an area where community reporting norms could immediately improve cross-study comparability.
We also welcome contributions addressing FAIR sharing of mitochondrial morphology, mitophagy, and membrane potential datasets, and submissions that link mitochondrial data to variant databases such as MITOMAP and to rare disease patient registries. FAIR² Data Articles presenting openly deposited mitochondrial datasets, including those enabling AI-driven discovery in rare mitochondrial diseases, are strongly encouraged.
KEY THEMES
Standardised metadata and reporting for respirometry and bioenergetics assay data
FAIR deposition of mitochondrial proteomics and mtDNA sequencing datasets
Cross-species integration of mitochondrial variant data (MITOMAP, ClinVar)
Interoperability between mitochondrial morphology, dynamics, and functional datasets
FAIR practices for Seahorse XF Analyser and related bioenergetics platform data
Linking mitochondrial data to rare disease patient registries and phenotypic databases
Open datasets for mitophagy, membrane potential, and ROS profiling studies
AI-driven discovery in mitochondrial disease enabled by FAIR-compliant open data
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research Report
Case Report
Data Report
Editorial
FAIR² Data
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Mini Review
Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.
Article types
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
