Speakers

The primary focus of Dr. Alessandro Cellerino's laboratory lies in investigating the biological mechanisms of aging, utilizing the turquoise killifish as a key animal model. As a trained Neuroscientist, Dr. Cellerino's research centers on the brain, alongside exploring the evolution of aging, lifespan, and interspecific comparisons. The group employs a multidisciplinary approach, combining neuroanatomy, interventions, transgenesis, bioinformatics, data analysis, and artificial intelligence.

Dr. Alessio Vagnoni began his academic journey in Italy, earning a Master's in Genetics and Molecular Biology from the University of Pavia. He later completed a PhD in Neuroscience at King's College London. His research explores intracellular trafficking's impact on neuronal function, ageing, and neurodegeneration, using Drosophila melanogaster and mammalian neurons. Vagnoni now serves as a Lecturer in Cellular Neuroscience, advancing our understanding of neuronal biology and its relevance to age-related and neurodegenerative conditions.

The disposable soma theory predicts that there isn't a single mechanism for cell ageing but rather multiple mechanisms working together. Dr. Axel Kowald has developed a network theory of cellular ageing through theoretical models that integrate various candidate mechanisms of cell ageing. This work emphasized the importance of systems biology approaches for understanding the complex ageing process.

Professor Christopher Proud has held numerous positions as lecturer, reader, professor or Department head in universities in the UK, Germany and Canada. His work focused on the molecular mechanisms that regulate protein synthesis.and ribosome biogenesis. He studied their roles in metabolic diseases such as diabetes, in cancer, in cardiovascular disorders, and in neurological processes. In September 2014 Chris moved to Adelaide to take up the position of Theme Leader: Nutrition and Metabolism at the SAHMRI.His research at SAHMRI includes studies on the regulation of protein synthesis nutrients and hormones; cancer cell biology; and the molecular mechanisms involved in diet-induced inflammation, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Much of this research focuses on protein kinases that control the protein synthesis machinery, i.e., mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K) and the MAP kinase-interacting kinases (MNKs).In 2019, Chris was appointed to the position of Theme Leader: Lifelong Health at SAHMRI.

Damian undertook medical training at Cambridge and Oxford, specialising in neurology. He combined clinical work with academic leadership of a dementia-focused research group at the University of Cambridge. With increasing focus on therapeutic application, he joined AstraZeneca Neuroscience in Cambridge and worked for six years developing small molecule, biologic and new modality therapies for dementias. Having caught the entrepreneurial bug at AstraZeneca he has worked as Entrepreneur in Residence at all three vertices of the UK’s golden triangle: Oxford Science Enterprises, Cambridge Innovation Capital and in the London office of the Dementia Discovery Fund.

Damian’s scientific passion is to understand and then exploit for therapeutic benefit, the science of (nucleo)protein aggregation as it pertains to inflammation and neurodegeneration. Whether it be working for big biopharma or helping to launch ambitious new start-ups, the goals are always the same: benefits for patients and returns for founders and investors.

Dr. Elizabeth Veal research primarily explores how organisms detect and respond to reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can cause severe cell damage and are involved in immune responses and chronic diseases. She usesthe fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe to study ROS signaling due to its well-established genetic tools. Additionally, Dr. Veal investigates the relationship between ROS responses, ageing, and innate immunity in the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans, a valuable model for genetic research, helping identify new genes related to pathogen defense, including against Candida albicans.

Dr. Ellen Nollen, a Rosalind Franklin Fellow at ERIBA's Department of Ageing, investigates the genetic origins of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's, as part of the Healthy Ageing program. Her work, supported by prestigious grants and awards, delves into protein aggregation regulation in ageing-related neurodegenerative conditions. Nollen has conducted research in the US and Utrecht, making notable discoveries related to disease protein aggregation and its impact on cell ageing.

Professor James Hodge's lab explores the fundamental biology of behavior influenced by aging, drugs, and diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Down’s, schizophrenia, epilepsy, and neuropathies. Research areas include circadian rhythms, sleep regulation, and the impact of mental health on neuronal function. The lab focuses on identifying novel mechanisms, testing drugs in preclinical models, investigating epilepsy, and studying the effects of insecticides on insect neuronal function. The goal is to contribute insights to neuroscience and regenerative medicine.

Deciphering the human genome was a significant breakthrough for predicting disease risks. To enhance our understanding of health, Dr. Jingyuan Fu explores the genetic composition of the gut microbiome alongside the human genome. Her research focuses on systems genetics and harnesses the power of big data to advance medical research rapidly. Through multidisciplinary analyses, she integrates human genome, gut microbiome, and omics data to create statistical models and networks, ultimately enabling causal inferences for complex traits and diseases.

Jennifer Gruhn is an Assistant Professor at the University of Copenhagen's Center of Chromosome Stability. Originating from Dr. Terry Hassold's lab, she completed a Ph.D. on sex-specific differences in human meiotic recombination. Currently engaged in a multinational study on human oocytes, her focus lies in exploring genomic instability and aneuploidy in the adult female germline, embryonic development, and early pregnancy losses. Guided by Prof. Eva Hoffmann, her research combines genomics and cytogenetics, shedding light on the role of the DNA damage response and cell cycle proteins in reproductive diseases and cancer.

Joana Neves leads a team delving into skeletal muscle regeneration, using it as a model for tissue repair. They aim to unravel the molecular and cellular intricacies of the immune modulatory aspect in tissue regeneration. By investigating how dysregulation occurs in aging and diseases, the team seeks targets to enhance regenerative success. Their focus is on identifying immune cell pathways that modulate tissue inflammation, with the ultimate aim of discovering novel molecules with immune modulatory properties for therapeutic applications in regenerative medicine, particularly for elderly patients.

Dr. Passos' pioneering research explores the impact of telomere dysfunction on cellular senescence in ageing and age-related diseases. His team employs unique methodologies, including super-resolution microscopy and reporter systems, to analyze telomere damage dynamics in live cells. The research has revealed that ageing leads to dysfunctional mitochondria, generating excessive reactive oxygen species that accelerate telomere damage, promoting cellular senescence and proinflammatory phenotypes. Dr. Passos aims to uncover mitochondrial-driven senescence mechanisms for potential therapies to enhance healthy ageing.

Dr. Liesbeth Veenhoff delved into the mechanism of a bacterial sugar transport protein. Her work at the Rockefeller University in New York contributed to unraveling the Nuclear Pore Complex's architecture in baker's yeast. She continued her research focusing on nuclear transport's role in cellular ageing. Veenhoff employs a baker's yeast model, using microscopy, biochemistry, and proteomics to explore this vital process. She is currently an associate professor and was awarded a Vici grant in 2020.

Lino Ferreira, an Investigator Coordinator at the University of Coimbra's Faculty of Medicine, has excelled in two key research areas over the last five years: disease modeling using aged human stem cell tissue models and nanomedicine-based therapies. His work at the intersection of engineering and biology has yielded innovative nanoformulations for medical use. Currently, he leads the collaborative laboratory Colab4Ageing and holds important positions in the scientific community.

The Sandri group pioneered the discovery that protein breakdown in muscles involves a transcriptional-dependent program, regulating key enzymes in ubiquitin-proteasome and autophagy-lysosome systems. They uncovered unexpected links between protein synthesis, muscle growth, and degradation, applying this knowledge to inherited muscle disorders. Their research also explores the role of physical activity, mitochondrial dynamics (biogenesis and fragmentation) and energy balance in muscle mass regulation and healthy ageing.

Professor Nektarios Tavernarakis, a distinguished Molecular Systems Biology professor at the University of Crete, chairs the Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas. Renowned for his work in necrotic cell death, neurodegeneration, and aging, he heads the Neurogenetics and Ageing laboratory, exploring molecular mechanisms. Additionally, he directs the Graduate Program on Bioinformatics. Serving as Vice-President of the European Research Council, he oversees the Life Sciences domain. Recognized globally, Tavernarakis holds memberships in prestigious scientific organizations and has received numerous awards, including ERC grants and the Helmholtz International Fellow Award.

Dr. Satomi Miwa has always been intrigued by the intricate mechanisms that enable life forms to adapt and maintain physiological stability amidst environmental stresses and ageing-related changes. Ageing, characterized by the decline in self-adjustment and self-maintenance abilities, has been a source of fascination. Her focus is on understanding how these mechanisms, with potential sex-specific variations, contribute to the loss of homeostasis. Dr. Miwa explores mitochondrial dysfunction in senescent cells and works on novel senolytic therapies, targeting skin ageing and potentially enhancing cancer treatments.