The University of Sheffield
Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health
Department of Human Metabolism
In vivo charactersation of drugs which delay or reverse stem cell and tissue ageing
Supervisor: Ilaria Bellantuono, Martin Zeidler
Project:
By 2050 1 in 4 people in UK will be over 65 years of age. With advancing age, chronic diseases
including stroke, heart attacks, cancers, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease become increasingly
prevalent. Given these developments, new interventions are required to mitigate the consequences of
aging and improve quality of life. Each tissue within the human body contains a small sub-population
of stem cells able to self-renew and differentiate into the mature specialised cells of that tissue. As a
consequence, stem cells represent an important factor in the maintenance and repair of tissues. In
addition, there is increasing evidence to suggest that stem cells progressively lose their ability to self
renew and repair their host organs with age. By inference, ‘rejuvenating’ stem cells therefore offers the
possibility to reverse age-associated tissue degeneration, rescuing tissue function and delaying
degenerative diseases of age.
We have recently identified a drug which delays stem cell ageing in vitro by enhancing repair of DNA
damage, one of the main causes of cellular ageing. In this project we will test whether this drug is able
to revert or delay stem cell ageing in vivo using the genetically tractable, and relatively short-lived, fruit
fly, Drosophila melanogaster as a model. We will establish the conditions for drug treatment to lead to
improved tissue function with age and extended healthy lifespan. In addition we will use the
established and well defined stem cell niches present in the Drosophila gut, imaginal discs and testis to
investigate the mechanisms via which drugs act to extend lifespan. This studentship will be based at
both the MRC - Arthritis Research UK Centre for Integrated Research into Musculoskeletal Ageing and
the MRC Centre for Developmental and Biomedical Genetics and will have access to the facilities of both
centres. This includes active collaborations and possibility of placements at the University of Newcastle
and Liverpool and access to an industrial mentor. The supervisors have complementary and unique
expertise in Drosophila, stem cells and ageing, to provide excellent training for the student.
Entry Requirements:
Candidates must have a first or upper second class honors degree or significant research
experience.
Enquiries:
Interested candidates should in the first instance contact Ilaria
(I.bellantuono@sheffield.ac.uk) or Martin Zeidler (m.zeidler@sheffield.ac.uk)
Bellantuono
How to apply:
Please complete a University Postgraduate Research Application form and attach at least two
references to your application. To complete the application form please visit:
www.shef.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/apply.
Please clearly state the prospective main supervisor in the respective box and select ‘Human
Metabolism’ as the department.
'The Medical School has received a Silver Athena SWAN award
for promoting gender equality’
Website: http://www.shef.ac.uk/humanmetabolism
Closing date: 3rd February 2014