Frontline
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Author (s): Sandra Anne Jones, Richard Walton, Matthew LancasterProgressive ageing is unfortunately associated with an increasing risk of developing health problems. Statistically one of the most common medical conditions afflicting the elderly is heart disease, second only to arthritis as the most prevalent medical condition affecting the elderly. Much is known, discussed, and broadly acted upon, regarding the many modifiable risk factors for heart disease such as blood pressure, cholesterol, weight and smoking, however the largest risk factor for heart disease is not normally referred to – increasing age. In our opinion, this is perhaps because this risk factor is considered un-modifiable and unavailable for commercial exploitation – yet. Nevertheless there may be opportunities on the horizon and perhaps further consideration should be given to how to combat this dominating risk factor for cardiovascular problems.
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Author (s): Phil Stephens
The Wound Biology Group at the School of Dentistry, Cardiff University (www.cardiff.ac.uk/dentl) was established in 1992 as a direct result of our involvement in the management of trauma. Over the years our research has developed and expanded through a collaboration between non-clinical academics and clinical staff and now focuses on differential wound repair at a number of anatomical sites. The School's laboratories have recently undergone a £2M re-fit, including establishment of state-of-the-art cell culture, cell storage and imaging facilities and is currently undergoing an expansion of laboratory space with the creation of an additional research floor with associated equipment (£1.4M) as part of a further £5.3M commitment from the Healing Foundation to wound healing research in Wales. Research within the Group has benefited from our role in the formation and success of the Cardiff Institute of Tissue Engineering and Repair (CITER; www.citer.org). CITER is a cross-school network with internationally recognised expertise in basic, translational and clinical research in the field of tissue engineering and repair. This is a consortium of established researchers with common interests and expertise in the field of tissue engineering and repair with the central aim of translating research from ‘bench to bedside'. Key to the ongoing and continued success of research within our Group has been our development of clinical researchers through support from the Royal College of Surgeons, the Medical Research Council and the Walport Academic Clinical Fellowship and Lectureship schemes.
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Author (s): Elaine O’Neill, Graeme Close
Elaine O'Neill and Graeme L. Close, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Liverpool
Ageing is associated with a dramatic loss of skeletal muscle mass and function referred to as sarcopenia. Sarcopenia often results in a loss of independence in the elderly, an increased number of falls and premature morbidity (Close et al., 2005). Sarcopenia is thought to be caused by an imbalance between protein synthesis and degradation (Carmeli et al., 2002) and it has been reported that a major contributor to protein synthesis in skeletal muscle is the insulin signalling cascade (Guillet and Boirie, 2005).
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Author (s): Michele Riesen
Michele Riesen (Liverpool University) was one of the winners of Best Poster at the BSRA Annual Scientific Meeting 2007 on Tuesday 17th July, Foresight Centre, University of Liverpool. Michele has been studying the molecular mechanisms involved in yeast lifespan extension by calorie restriction.
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Author (s): Hannah Tivey
Hannah Tivey (Cardiff University) was the winner of the best oral presentation at the BSRA Annual Scientific Meeting 2007 on Tuesday 17th July, Foresight Centre, University of Liverpool. Hannah has been studying cellular responses to genome instability in human premature ageing syndromes.
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Author (s): Janet Lord
The British Council for Ageing was originally constituted in 1975 and was re-formed in 2006 in response to the need for an organisation that can speak at national level for the three UK learned societies concerned with the various aspects of old age and the ageing process. The BCA is thus intended to act as a vehicle by which the British Geriatrics Society, The British Society for Gerontology and the British Society for Research on Ageing can provide informed opinion and influence policy making with respect to older people and research in to the ageing process. The BCA was launched formerly in October 2006 at the House of Lords.
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Author (s): Anna Kayani
Dr Anna Kayani (Liverpool University) was the winner of Best Oral Presentation at the BSRA Annual Scientific Meeting 2006 on Wed July 12th 2006, St Annes College Oxford. Anna has been studying the effect of exercise training or pharmacological intervention on HSP production and muscle function in aged mice.
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Author (s): Bethan Britt-Compton
Bethan Britt-Compton (Dept of Pathology, Cardiff University) was the winner of Best Poster Prize at the BSRA Annual Scientific Meeting on Wed July 12th 2006, St Annes College Oxford. Bethan is a PhD student working with Duncan Baird. She has been investigating the mechanisms of telomere loss and the nature of the telomeric signal that triggers replicative senescence.
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Author (s): Anne McArdle, Richard Faragher
The Cellular Pathophysiology Research group at the Department of Medicine, University of Liverpool is interested in the mechanisms by which cells respond to stress, work which involves examination of the processes of cell death and of adaptation. In particular, the group is interested in the role that oxidative stress plays in cellular pathology and how changes in the redox status of the cell can induce damage or an adaptive response to stress.These studies are primarily undertaken in skeletal muscle or skin.
The group comprises Professor Malcolm Jackson (Head of Medicine), two lecturers: Dr Anne McArdle (a Research into Ageing funded Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Fellow) and Dr Frank McArdle; four post doctoral researchers and 10 post graduate researchers and laboratory based clinicians working on various aspects of oxidative stress research.
The interest of the group in ageing research is primarily aimed at elucidation of the mechanisms by which skeletal muscle becomes weaker and more susceptible to damage as we get older and this article will concentrate on the current ideas in this area of research.
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Author (s): T B L Kirkwood
Two new research programmes are beginning at the University of Newcastle Institute for Ageing and Health, which build on our longstanding determination to tackle head on the intrinsic complexity of the multiple mechanisms of ageing and their interactions.
The first programme is the Centre for Integrated Systems Biology of Ageing and Nutrition (CISBAN), being established with £6.4M support from BBSRC and EPSRC, which will probe the complex molecular and cellular underpinnings of the ageing process and their links with nutrition. The second is the Newcastle 85+ Study which seeks, with £2.2M of MRC and BBSRC funding, to identify biological, clinical and psychosocial factors associated with healthy ageing.