Biogerontology Laboratory
The Biogerontology Laboratory in the ANZAC Research Institute is the laboratory component of the Centre for Education and Research on Ageing (CERA) at Concord Hospital. The Biogerontology Laboratory performs research into the biology of ageing and age-related diseases. Our motivation is to develop strategies to delay ageing and age-related disease, thus improving the quality of life of older people.
Broadly, the group research concentrates on changes to the liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, including a marked reduction number of fenestrations. This is called pseudocapillarization. The changes have been observed in many species including man and impair the liver uptake of lipoproteins, providing a critical link between ageing, dyslipidaemia and the age-related risk of atherosclerosis. We now aim at developing therapies to treat pseudocapillarization in order to reduce the risk of vascular disease in older people.
Other related research includes the discovery of changes in the hepatic sinusoid in diabetes mellitus, age-related changes in the liver trafficking of apoE and the effects of fenestrations on the role of the liver in the immune response. We have also been studying the effects of oxidative stress on the liver because of its role in the ageing process.
Highlights for 2008-2009 include:
- Our group were involved in five successful new NHMRC grant applications during this period, including two grants studying ageing and the liver, and two grants studying the effects of diet and sirtuins on ageing in mice and humans.
- We were invited to contribute the chapter on fenestrations to the leading international book on the liver (Arias et al, The Liver: Biology and Pathobiology 2009) as well as generating numerous scientific publications in international journals. We were invited to present our discoveries on ageing and the liver endothelium at a plenary session of the American Association of Anatomists, FASEB annual conference in the USA.
- There were three PhD students who completed there theses in our laboratory: Dr Rajkumar Cheluvappa, Dr Mimi Sabaretnam and Dr Hamish Jamieson.
- We developed successful new international collaborations with Professor Bard Smedsrod (Norway), Professors de Cabo and Sinclair (USA) and Dr Lebel (Canada). The Norway collaboration has led to a successful EU grant to support this collaborative research. In addition, two senior medical post-doctoral scientists, Dr Svetlana Zykova and Dr Dmitri Svistounov have joined our laboratory for a one year sabbatical to further their studies on ageing and the liver microcirculation.
Our Research Program includes:
Ageing Biology and the Ageing Liver
Details here
Ageing Biology, Diet and Sirtuins
Details here.
