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SUMMARY:Ageing: What is it? Clues from C. elegans  - Prof. David Gems\, De
 puty Director of The Institute of Healthy Ageing\, University College Lond
 on
DTSTART:20140701T120000Z
DTEND:20140701T133000Z
UID:TALK53251@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:38183
DESCRIPTION:The Institute of Healthy Ageing:\nThe UCL Institute of Healthy
  Ageing is a world class centre of excellence for research on the biology 
 of ageing and ageing-related diseases. \nTheir primary purpose is to bring
  together researchers working on the biology of ageing (biogerontology) wi
 th those working to understand the causes of ageing-related disease. By me
 rging the two\, they aim to develop a new translational biogerontology usi
 ng the ageing process as a point of intervention to protect against the di
 seases of old age. \n“Our goal is to improve the health and quality of l
 ife for older people.”\n\nResearch Focus:\nUnderstanding the biology of 
 longevity and ageing using a nematode model While developmental genetics h
 as been an area of intensive study for many years\, investigation of the r
 ole of genes in determining longevity and ageing only recently began. An i
 deal model organism in which to study ageing is the free-living nematode C
 aenorhabditis elegans. This species has well-developed genetics\, its 97\,
 000\,000 base pair genome is fully sequenced\, and its life span is a mere
  2-3 weeks. Most importantly\, numerous mutations have been identified in 
 C. elegans which alter the rate of ageing\, with some mutants living more 
 than ten times as long as wild-type worms. It is hoped that by understandi
 ng ageing in a simple animal like C. elegans we will be able to unravel th
 e mystery of human ageing\, which increases risk of a wide range of diseas
 es\, from cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes\, to Alzheimer's dis
 ease and cancer. A major focus of current work in this laboratory is under
 standing the genes and biochemical processes by which reduced insulin/IGF-
 1 signalling and dietary restriction increase lifespan. Other interests in
 clude sex differences in the biology of ageing\, evolutionary conservation
  of mechanisms of ageing\, and bioethical implications of ageing research.
  Our work is funded by the BBSRC\, the European Union and the Wellcome Tru
 st. *Courtesy of UCL*\n\nCurrent Research Themes:\n● Cell signalling\n
 ● Genetics of ageing and age-related disease in Caenorhabditis elegans\n
 ● Mechanisms regulating lymphocyte differentiation i\n● Regulation and
  targeting of the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) pathway\n● The central 
 nervous system regulation of energy homeostasis\n
LOCATION:The Babraham Institute Conference Centre
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