Final Report Summary - STEM CELLS AND AGING (Stem cell niche and asymmetric division in aging)
Aging is caused by the time dependent accumulation of cellular damage. Such damage can impair tissue renewal in two ways: damage accumulation into the stem cells them selves can cause stem cell exhaustion, or damage to the stem cell niche can change the intercellular communication and the ability of stem cells to respond to cues guiding tissue homeostasis.
The project “Stem cells and aging” set to support the initiation of an independent career of the fellow in University of Helsinki, and to investigate 1) how niche-stem cell interactions are changed during aging and 2) if stem cells use asymmetric cell division to quality control their organelles and counter aging.
During the granting period, the fellow first received a tenure track Group Leader, and then a Tenure track Associate Professor position in the host institute. He now runs his own laboratory with >10 full time scientists and is fully integrated into the host institute as a principal investigator.
The fellow has also made considerable progress regarding the two scientific aims. He has discovered multiple aging-related defects in the niche-stem cell communication that may impact stem cell activity. The first manuscript on these findings is in revision, and several others are in preparation. Currently the fellow is pursuing these leads to address their relevance for the reduced renewal and regeneration of aging tissues. Regarding the aim 2), the fellow discovered that stem cells indeed segregate at least certain organelles age-selectively and asymmetrically in cell division. This finding was published in the journal Science in 2015. The fellow is now continuing mechanistic studies regarding this novel phenomenon.
The project “Stem cells and aging” set to support the initiation of an independent career of the fellow in University of Helsinki, and to investigate 1) how niche-stem cell interactions are changed during aging and 2) if stem cells use asymmetric cell division to quality control their organelles and counter aging.
During the granting period, the fellow first received a tenure track Group Leader, and then a Tenure track Associate Professor position in the host institute. He now runs his own laboratory with >10 full time scientists and is fully integrated into the host institute as a principal investigator.
The fellow has also made considerable progress regarding the two scientific aims. He has discovered multiple aging-related defects in the niche-stem cell communication that may impact stem cell activity. The first manuscript on these findings is in revision, and several others are in preparation. Currently the fellow is pursuing these leads to address their relevance for the reduced renewal and regeneration of aging tissues. Regarding the aim 2), the fellow discovered that stem cells indeed segregate at least certain organelles age-selectively and asymmetrically in cell division. This finding was published in the journal Science in 2015. The fellow is now continuing mechanistic studies regarding this novel phenomenon.