Credit: Hanna Salmonowicz, Monney Medical Media, 2021
Our genetic material is stored in our cells in a specific way to make the meter-long DNA molecule fit into the tiny cell nucleus of each body cell. An international team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, the CECAD Cluster of Excellence in Ageing research at the University of Cologne, the University College London and the University of Michigan have now been able to show that rapamycin, a well-known anti-ageing candidate, targets gut cells specifically to alter the way of DNA storage inside these cells, and thereby promotes gut health and longevity. This effect has been observed in flies and mice. The researchers believe this finding will open up new possibilities for targeted therapeutic interventions against ageing.
Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
Our genetic material is stored in our cells in a specific way to make the meter-long DNA molecule fit into the tiny cell nucleus of each body cell. An international team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, the CECAD Cluster of Excellence in Ageing research at the University of Cologne, the University College London and the University of Michigan have now been able to show that rapamycin, a well-known anti-ageing candidate, targets gut cells specifically to alter the way of DNA storage inside these cells, and thereby promotes gut health and longevity. This effect has been observed in flies and mice. The researchers believe this finding will open up new possibilities for targeted therapeutic interventions against ageing.
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Linking genetics and age-related diseases
Researchers have used human medical and genetic data from UK Biobank to investigate the genetics of age-related diseases Genetics of ageing
Researchers at EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) and University College London (UCL) have analysed medical and genetic information openly available from UK Biobank to investigate the genetic associations of different age-related diseases.
Old age is associated with an increased risk of many diseases. As the average human lifespan increases, ageing is fast becoming a global challenge. Researchers are working to understand the genetics underlying ageing and the variations that may lead to age-related diseases.