Institute of Healthy Ageing

Research Summary

Stem cells have been found in most tissues/organs. These stem cells produce replacements for lost and damaged cells, and it is not completely understood how this regenerative capacity becomes diminished during ageing. One hypothesis is that stem cells are more likely to sacrifice themselves than risk potentially cancer-causing damage being passed onto progeny. This should reduce the incidence of cancer, but ultimately, may lead to a reduction in stem cells with age that contributes to the ageing process.

Current research aims include;

• Characterisation of age-based alterations in the phenotype and function of murine and human haematopoietic stem cells,
  
• Analysis of the role of haematopoietic stem cell-specific antitoxicity mechanisms during ageing
  
• Long-term tracking of the dynamics of age-based alterations in stem and progenitor cells
• Analysis of stem cell epigenetic alterations during ageing and how this alters gene expression
  
• Analysis of the effect of calorific restriction on murine haematopoietic stem ageing.