Ageing Archives | Centenary Institute https://www.centenary.org.au/theme/ageing/ Medical Research, Life Saving Research Wed, 27 Sep 2023 22:32:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.1 Research to unlock the secrets of muscle loss in ageing https://www.centenary.org.au/news/research-to-unlock-the-secrets-of-muscle-loss-in-ageing/ Wed, 27 Sep 2023 22:32:16 +0000 https://www.centenary.org.au/?post_type=cen_news&p=42402 The Centenary Institute and the University of Technology Sydney will lead pioneering research into age-related muscle loss, called sarcopenia, with a Dynamic Resilience Program contract from Wellcome Leap.

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]]> A natural process, sarcopenia is where muscles become smaller and weaker due to ageing. This can lead to reduced mobility, increased frailty and overall decreased quality of life among older adults. Sarcopenia can also result from short term hospitalisation and bed rest in older individuals where inactivity leads to rapid and severe musculoskeletal wasting.

The research aims to shed light on why short-term hospitalisation in older adults leads to profound loss of muscle mass and strength, accelerating conditions of sarcopenia and frailty. The researchers will harness brand new technologies and techniques to explore the impacts of ageing on muscle function and develop potential interventions to enhance the quality of life for older individuals.

At the heart of the research investigation lies a novel model for studying human muscle ageing – tiny laboratory-grown human skeletal muscles, called micro-muscles.

Principal Investigator of the project, Associate Professor Andy Philp, Head of the Centenary Institute’s Centre for Healthy Ageing and Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Technology Sydney said that their advanced micro-muscle model would be able to simulate age-related conditions like sarcopenia and hospitalisations to help unlock the secrets of skeletal muscle’s resilience to ageing and inactivity.

“Use of our novel bioengineered muscle platform in combination with patient-derived blood samples and advanced molecular analysis techniques, will help us decipher the intricate biological mechanisms underlying muscle ageing and wastage, as well as the muscle’s capacity for recovery,” said Associate Professor Philp.

The bioengineered micro-muscles, being developed by Co-Principal Investigator and Group Leader Associate Professor Richard Mills from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Melbourne node of reNEW, are set to provide a revolutionary approach. 

“These micro-muscles offer an unprecedented lab-based platform for in-depth exploration of the intricate biological processes involved in sarcopenia,” said Associate Professor Mills.

Aspects that will be investigated include the role of age, gender, inactivity and inflammation-related stress on muscular function.

Associate Professor Philp said that the research holds the promise of transforming the way age-related muscle wasting is treated.

“We believe our innovative approach has the potential to lead to new therapeutic approaches to promote muscle strength and resilience, to ultimately enhance the well-being and vitality of ageing individuals,” he said.

The collaborative research program will be undertaken by researchers at the Centenary institute, University of Technology Sydney, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, University of Sydney and the University of Leicester (UK).

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]]> Student Open Day https://www.centenary.org.au/event/student-open-day/ Mon, 03 Jul 2023 23:08:28 +0000 https://www.centenary.org.au/?post_type=cen_event&p=42187 Take you first step into a career in medical research - come and join us at our Student Open Day.

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]]> You will have the opportunity to hear from current students and post-docs at Centenary as well as take part in a tour of our laboratories.

Come along and meet with project leads to discuss student placements at the Centenary Institute.

Stay tuned for further information.

Event program (subject to change)

Opening Address – Executive Director, Professor Marc Pellegrini  
Presentations by Professional Services at Centenary
– Chief Operating Officer
– Manager, Research Office
– Head of People Operations  
Presentations by current students at Centenary  
Presentation by post-docs at Centenary  
Tour of Centenary Institute laboratories and Charles Perkins Centre  
Meet and greet with Project leads, students and post-docs   Food and beverages  

Watch our introductory video to learn more about the Centenary Institute

If you would like to share details of our Student Open Day with friends or family who may like insights and inspiration for their own career journey please download the event poster here.

Things to know when visiting the Institute.

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]]> ‘When Art Meets Science’ Exhibition https://www.centenary.org.au/event/when-art-meets-science-exhibition/ Tue, 27 Jun 2023 06:30:19 +0000 https://www.centenary.org.au/?post_type=cen_event&p=42179 The Centenary Institute will host an Exhibition at Parliament House Sydney showcasing images taken by our scientists as part of their research endeavours that have both scientific significance and are visual masterpieces!  The Scientific Image Prize is an annual internal competition designed to recognise the incredible research of Centenary’s scientists, as well as their artistic ...

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]]> The Centenary Institute will host an Exhibition at Parliament House Sydney showcasing images taken by our scientists as part of their research endeavours that have both scientific significance and are visual masterpieces! 

The Scientific Image Prize is an annual internal competition designed to recognise the incredible research of Centenary’s scientists, as well as their artistic abilities.

We invite our supporters, collaborators and the wider community to come and view the Exhibition which will be open to the public from 9.00am – 5.00pm Monday to Friday during the month of August.

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]]> Prestigious editorial board appointment for Associate Professor Andy Philp https://www.centenary.org.au/news/prestigious-editorial-board-appointment-for-associate-professor-andy-philp/ Mon, 08 May 2023 04:59:17 +0000 https://www.centenary.org.au/?post_type=cen_news&p=42069 Associate Professor Andy Philp – Director of the Centenary Institute’s Centre for Healthy Ageing and an internationally renowned expert in skeletal muscle wasting disorders ¬ has been invited onto the editorial board of the respected Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle (JCSM).

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]]> JCSM is the flagship journal of the Society on Sarcopenia, Cachexia and Wasting Disorders (SCWD), dedicated to publishing research relevant to changes in body composition, especially cachexia (loss of muscle mass due to an underlying illness) and sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass due to ageing), as consequences of chronic illnesses or of the ageing process.

As an editorial board member, Associate Professor Philp will provide expert advice on journal policy and subject matter, help attract high-quality manuscripts as well as assist in the peer review process.

“I’m honoured to be taking on this exciting role and look forward to being actively involved in such a well-regarded and influential science journal,“ said Associate Professor Philp.

“There is a need to advance important new knowledge to better understand the processes of muscle deterioration in numerous chronic diseases of ageing. As a member of the editorial board, I hope to be able to enhance the journal’s already excellent reputation in this critical health space and further promote the visibility of SCWD.”

The Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle is highly ranked and sits in the top 5% of all geriatrics and ageing journals for impact.

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]]> IGEP Presents: International Women’s Day https://www.centenary.org.au/event/igep-presents-international-womens-day/ Tue, 28 Feb 2023 00:28:20 +0000 https://www.centenary.org.au/?post_type=cen_event&p=41955 Centenary’s Inclusion Gender Equity Program (IGEP) brings an entertaining and exciting half-day event

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]]> Join us on Wednesday, 8th Mar to celebrate in style the 2023 International Women’s Day (IWD).

Talk: Throwing Rocks at the Glass Ceiling

  • Professor Ingrid Scheffer

    12pm – 1pm

    Prof Ingrid Scheffer is a neurobiologist and molecular geneticist at the University of Melbourne and Florey Institute. She’s the winner of the Australian Prime Minister’s Prize for Science (2018). Prof Scheffer will share her research career journey to leadership – can’t wait to hear her exciting story.

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]]> Centenary talks healthy ageing at NSW Seniors Expo https://www.centenary.org.au/news/centenary-talks-healthy-ageing-at-nsw-seniors-expo/ Mon, 06 Feb 2023 21:57:47 +0000 https://www.centenary.org.au/?post_type=cen_news&p=41815 The Centenary Institute has highlighted its critical research into the biology of ageing – aimed at improving the quality of life for older people – at the 2023 NSW Seniors Festival Expo, held at the International Convention Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney.

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]]> At the Seniors Expo, Centenary researchers and staff outlined the essential activity taking place at the Institute, explaining that dedicated researchers were working hard to improve the quality of life for older people by better understanding ageing-related diseases and finding new treatments and cures.

Centenary’s Associate Professor Andy Philp, Director of the Centre for Healthy Ageing delivered a public talk at the event in which he explained the science involved in ageing. He said that ageing is a central risk factor for many chronic diseases – and that positive lifestyle modifications involving diet and exercise can aid the ageing process and lead to better health and wellbeing.

As a part of his talk, Associate Professor Philp detailed the concept of ‘exercise snacking’. This is regular exercise and physical activity structured into short bouts, providing varying levels of movement and intensity. Exercise snacking he said, could provide a novel approach to combat the negative effects of ageing on the body and be easily incorporated into people’s day-to-day lives.

“As we age, it is critical that we include both endurance and resistance type exercise in our daily routines so that we can prevent the loss of strength that occurs with ageing,” he said.

“Exercise snacking is an interesting approach as it provides individuals with a variety of exercises, each designed to prevent muscle deterioration, that can lead to an improved ability to perform the daily activities of living.”

“By having choices, we hope that exercise snacking can provide individuals with more ideas as to how they can be active and exercising regularly,” Associate Professor Philp concluded.

At the Expo, attendees were invited to sign up to receive a free Centenary Exercise Snacking Program, a complete do-it-yourself guide to exercising in bite-sized pieces. They were also able to speak directly to Centenary researchers at the Institute’s stand and were offered an informative education pack on healthy ageing. 

Attracting over 19,000 visitors across two days, the NSW Seniors Festival Expo is the largest event for seniors (those aged over 60) in the Southern Hemisphere.

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]]> Biology of Ageing Program https://www.centenary.org.au/research/programs/biology-of-ageing-program/ Sun, 16 Oct 2022 23:02:58 +0000 https://www.centenary.org.au/?post_type=cen_program&p=41454 Musculoskeletal conditions have been estimated to affect 1.71 billion people globally.

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]]> The two most common age-associated musculoskeletal conditions are osteoporosis (loss of bone) and sarcopenia (loss of muscle), which lead to pain and weakness of the musculoskeletal system.

Sarcopenia is considered ‘primary’ (or age-related) when no other cause is evident, while sarcopenia is considered ‘secondary’ when additional factors to ageing are evident, such as physical inactivity, injury or additional confounding diseases.

Sarcopenia leads to frailty, loss of mobility, an increased risk of falls/fractures, a diminished quality of life, and in some cases premature mortality. 3.7 million people in Australia are currently over 65 years old, with projections suggesting this number will more than double to ~8.7 million by 2050. It has been estimated that ~30% of those aged 75-84 suffer from sarcopenia, indicating that ~330,000 people in Australia would currently be considered sarcopenic, with this number predicted to exceed 780,000 by 2050. It is currently unknown why our musculoskeletal system gets weaker as we age, and what biological cues dictate the rate and severity of this transition.

Research in the Biology of Ageing Program aims to understand the factors that cause age-associated muscle weakness to develop therapeutics to prevent sarcopenia. A fundamental cellular process thought to be involved in this problem is the development of mitochondrial dysfunction, which leads to a reduction in energy production in our cells.

Recent research suggests that skeletal muscle mitochondrial dysfunction may be causal in the development of sarcopenia. Dr Philp’s current research, supported by the NHMRC, Rebecca L. Cooper Medical Research Foundation and MitoRx, is investigating whether pharmacological approaches to increase mitochondrial activity in skeletal muscle can be used for the treatment and prevention of sarcopenia.

Australian

Deakin University
Garvan Institute
Monash University
QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
Swinburne University
University of Melbourne
University of New South Wales
University of Sydney
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

International

AdventHealth Research Institute, USA
Dundee University, UK
Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, Sweden
University College of London, UK
University of Birmingham, UK
University of California San Diego, USA
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
University of Exeter, UK
University of Leicester, UK
University of Southern Denmark, Denmark

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]]> Centre for Healthy Ageing https://www.centenary.org.au/research/programs/centre-for-healthy-ageing/ Tue, 12 Jul 2022 05:03:12 +0000 https://www.centenary.org.au/?post_type=cen_program&p=41174 Ageing represents one of the greatest medical, social and economic challenges - in Australia and globally.

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]]> The number of Australians aged 65 and over is projected to more than double from 3.7 million in 2016 to 8.7 million in 2057. Furthermore, the cost to the country’s budget will be A$36 billion by 2028-29.

Ageing is a complex biological process driven by molecular and cellular mechanisms, many of which are yet to be fully understood.

Critically, ageing not only leads to a progressive degeneration and fragility of the body over time but is also the most important risk factor for many of the major chronic diseases facing society today. The biological process of ageing contributes to the incidence and severity of major diseases like frailty, dementia, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, COPD, cirrhosis and cancer.

With increasing longevity and an ageing population, it is imperative that new strategies are developed to limit the growing burden of disease and to improve health span. 

Beyond the individual and societal health benefits of combatting disease in an ageing population, economic impacts are another consideration. The clinical problem presents a huge medical and economic burden on governments. 

The fundamental recognition that ageing as a process can be subject to medical intervention, like cancer or hypertension, has led to a global interest to develop therapeutics and diagnostics for its prevention and amelioration.

Centenary has made the strategic decision to establish a Centre for Healthy Ageing to assemble the skills and competencies to systematically attack this health challenge.

Mission

Attack society’s major health and economic problem, namely the fragility, disability and cost of an ageing population.

Discover and bring to use tests, therapies and interventions that will diagnose, treat and prevent undesirable consequences of the ageing process.

Vision

The centre is the first comprehensive organisation in Australia to address the biology of ageing.

We research the mechanisms that underlie disease to develop new diagnostics, treatments and cures for some of the most deadly and debilitating diseases affecting society today.

Our research will focus on six fundamental processes thought to drive cellular ageing: cell senescence, DNA damage, inflammation, epigenetics, proteostasis and mitochondrial dysfunction. 

Using this knowledge, we will determine how ageing accelerates the rate and severity of diseases affecting key organs such as the brain, lung, heart, liver, skin and skeletal muscle. Collectively, the overriding goal of the centre is to develop therapeutic strategies to prevent the onset of chronic disease to allow individuals to maintain heath, physiological function and independence during the ageing process.

It is only when the biology of disease is fully understood, that safe and effective medical therapeutics can then be successfully developed to delay or prevent chronic diseases of ageing. 

Dementia is a general term for disorders affecting brain function impacting a person’s memory, thinking, behaviour and ability to carry out everyday activities. There are approximately 500,000 Australians currently living with dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease accounts for up to 70% of these cases. 

Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s is an age-related neurodegenerative disease consisting of plaque build-up within the cellular networks of the brain, which disrupts cell function and neuronal communication. A cure has yet to be found. 

Centenary’s Vascular Biology team, led by Professor Jennifer Gamble, is focused on the blood vessels of the brain and their potential role in Alzheimer’s development and progression. More specifically, her team is investigating endothelial cells–the cells that line blood vessels and which are responsible for preserving the blood-brain barrier. 

They have identified significant age-related changes in these cells which, over time, can become impaired and ‘leaky’ and unable to inhibit inflammation. Professor Gamble is determining if the breakdown and dysfunction of these cells with age actually leads to Alzheimer’s or makes the disease more likely. If this is the case, the work will open the door to an entirely new approach to combatting the disease–through targeting our aged blood vessels.

In addition to her work on blood vessels and dementia, Professor Gamble’s team is investigating the link between injured blood vessels that induce chronic inflammation may also determine the outcome of atherosclerosis.

Heart valve disease is a progressive disorder

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a disease of the aged affecting 2-4% of people over 65 years old and is the most common type of heart valve disease in Western countries. It’s a progressive disorder where calcium deposits form on the aortic valve in the heart, narrowing and stiffening the valve’s opening. It has the potential to impact blood flow through the valve and can lead to heart failure.

Centenary’s Vascular Biology team, led by Professor Jennifer Gamble, is investigating why CAVD develops with age as well as the specific cells and signalling pathways associated with the disease. She hopes to uncover potential drug targets once the mechanisms of disease initiation and progression
are known.

Ageing arteries and atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a chronic condition in which arteries harden and narrow over time due to a build-up of fatty plaque on the arterial wall. Although the use of blood cholesterol-lowering medications can be successful in halting or reducing this plaque build-up, atherosclerosis remains the leading cause of cardiovascular disease-related death worldwide. 

In his research, Dr Yanfei (Jacob) Qi, Head of Centenary’s Lipid Cell Biology Laboratory, is studying how fat products within blood vessel cells affect their fitness as well as influence atherosclerosis. 

He’s identified a critical regulator of both fat movement and storage within cells. The novel factor is implicated in blood vessel health. This protein serves as a ‘catapult’, hurling unhealthy fat products within blood vessel cells–this leading to a higher risk of cellular injury. 

Dr Qi is now exploring how this fat regulator functions in the endothelial cell lining of blood vessels, to generate new understanding of the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. The research could lead to the development of an entirely new class of drugs to treat this age-associated arterial disease.

Heart failure

“Stiff” heart failure, or Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF), is now the commonest form of heart failure in the world, causing considerable morbidity and mortality, but with no effective therapies. One in 10 persons in the world aged 40 or more will develop HFpEF, the most common form of chronic cardiovascular disease for which almost no effective therapies exist. 

All standard heart failure therapies have failed to improve outcomes in HFpEF2. Recently, an anti-diabetic sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) therapy was the first to improve outcomes in HFpEF, suggesting that HFpEF is a metabolic disorder which is exacerbated by ageing. 

Associate Professor John O’Sullivan and his team at the Heart Research Institute (HRI), are exploring whether deficiency of oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a critical energy intermediate within the cell, is a critical factor driving HFpEF development. 

To achieve this, Associate Professor O’Sullivan and his team are leading two clinical trials CardioNAD and pEFNAD, in partnership with the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre to test whether increasing NAD+, with the dietary precursor Nicotinamide Riboside, can improve clinical outcomes and longevity in patients with HFpEF. 

This work is part of an ongoing program of work by Associate Professor O’Sullivan through the ‘Stiff Heart Failure Alliance’ that he will lead with colleagues at Hospitals throughout Sydney and Sydney Health Partners. 

The goal of this alliance is to harmonise and formalise HFpEF diagnosis and management across SLHD and Sydney Health Partners, responsible for >2.7 million patients.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), also known as emphysema, is an often fatal condition where the lungs are damaged and airflow is impeded making it difficult to breathe. The disease is characterised by severe lung inflammation and emphysema that intensify as the disease progresses. 

Major risk factors are long-term exposure to lung and airway irritants such as cigarette/tobacco smoke and bushfire smoke, air pollution, chemicals and dusts. Critically, there is increasing evidence that, in COPD, the ageing of the lung is accelerated. That is, that age associated changes in the structure and function of the lung are important in the disease’s development and progression. 

There is currently no cure for COPD, the fifth leading cause of death in Australia, third globally. 

At Centenary, research into COPD is led by Professor Phil Hansbro, Director of the Centenary UTS Centre for Inflammation. He is looking at the impact of inflammation and potential treatments for COPD across multiple areas. These include fibrotic tissue remodelling, molecular impacts of infections and oxidative stress on the lungs.

Professor Hansbro’s recent findings also suggest a link between COPD and the gut microbiome and its metabolites. The ‘microbiome’ describes all of the microbes, particularly bacteria that exist in an individual. 

His work suggests that an unhealthy or altered microbiome could be responsible for promoting inflammatory diseases such as COPD. The team is now aiming to determine the role and potential for modulating the gut microbiome and their products as potential new therapies for COPD.

Other respiratory disease areas being studied by Professor Hansbro include idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and severe asthma. They are both associated with the ageing process.

IPF, a scarring of the lungs making it hard to breathe, is a progressive and often fatal disease, mainly affecting people aged 50 years and older. It is believed that
age-related changes in cellular function may play a role in IPF. 

Likewise, the underlying mechanics of severe asthma are being investigated in the hope of identifying new therapeutic targets and treatments. Older adults have some of the highest rates of asthma morbidity and mortality. It appears possible that the mechanisms underlying airway inflammation in this older population may differ to those found in younger people.

Severe chronic liver diseases, including cancer, fatty liver disease, cirrhosis and liver failure, all increase with age, independently of all other disease drivers. The ageing process adversely affects the ability of the liver to recover after injury and inflammation – healthy tissue tends to not regenerate as well or as quickly, more scar tissue accumulates and vascular operations are less efficient. Further, immune responses are less effective. The combination of these factors significantly impacts liver disease development in the elderly. 

Professor Geoff McCaughan, Head of Centenary’s Liver Injury and Cancer Program, is investigating the underlying mechanisms that drive primary liver cancer and disease across a background of liver inflammation, fibrosis and the liver stem cell response. 

Cellular senescence in the liver is a major area of interest. Senescent cells (cells that no longer grow) accumulate during ageing and have been implicated in promoting a variety of age-related diseases. Premature senescence of liver cells is a key feature of liver response during chronic liver injury. Professor McCaughan speculates that use of agents that selectively eliminate senescent cells may offer up new therapeutic approaches for treatment. 

Professor Mark Gorrell who leads the Liver Enzymes in Metabolism and Inflammation Program is focused on the four enzymes of the dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP4) gene family – DPP4, DPP8, DPP9 and FAP. He investigates the enzymes’ roles in disease, including diabetes, a disease that is affected and impacted by ageing. 

Many patients with age-related diabetes develop severe liver disease at ages 65 and over. This is despite patient control of their cardiovascular risk factors. Professor Gorrell has shown that the amount of DPP4 in the blood of patients with diabetes is associated with fat accumulation in the liver. There is supportive data from both preclinical and clinical studies, showing that an existing diabetes drug that targets DPP4 lowers liver damage. Professor Gorrell continues to explore this area to help determine new and improved therapeutic outcomes.

Joint leaders of Centenary’s Liver Immunology Program, Associate Professor Patrick Bertolino and Associate Professor David Bowen investigate the unique relationship between the liver and the immune system ageing has a major influence on the immune properties of the liver leading to these opposing immune responses. These properties involve two cell types that the Liver Immunology group has extensive expertise in – T cells and myeloid cells.

T cells interact with hepatocytes (liver cells) through sinusoidal endothelial cell fenestrations (pores). The loss of these ‘pores’ due to ageing is likely to significantly influence interactions between hepatocytes and immune cells. As one of the main immune roles of hepatocytes is to interact with auto reactive T cells and induce their elimination, the loss of these interactions would likely predispose ageing individuals to autoimmunity issues in later life. This is an area of study that the Program is looking to advance.

Age-associated musculoskeletal decline is a global health problem. Musculoskeletal conditions have been estimated to affect 1.71 billion people globally. The two most common age-associated musculoskeletal conditions are osteoporosis (loss of bone) and sarcopenia (loss of muscle), which lead to pain and weakness of the musculoskeletal system. 

Sarcopenia leads to frailty, loss of mobility, an increased risk of falls and fractures, a diminished quality of life, and in some cases premature mortality. 3.7 million people in Australia are currently over 65 years old, with projections suggesting this number will more than double to 8.7 million by 2050. 

It has been estimated that about 30% of those aged 75-84 suffer from sarcopenia, indicating that approximately 330,000 people in Australia would currently be considered sarcopenic, with this number predicted to exceed 780,000 by 2050. It is currently unknown why the musculoskeletal system gets weaker with age, and what biological cues dictate the rate and severity of this transition.

Research by Dr Andy Philp, Head, Biology of Ageing Program, aims to understand the factors that cause age-associated muscle weakness to develop therapeutics to prevent sarcopenia. A fundamental cellular process thought to be involved in this problem is the development of mitochondrial dysfunction, which leads to a reduction in energy production in our cells. Recent research suggests that skeletal muscle mitochondrial dysfunction may be causal in the development of sarcopenia. 

Dr Philp’s current research, is investigating whether pharmacological approaches to increase mitochondrial activity in skeletal muscle can be used for the treatment and prevention of sarcopenia. To achieve this, Dr Philp’s group are examining how mitochondrial dysfunction develops during ageing. Using this information, they will then determine whether mitochondrial-targeted therapies can protect old skeletal muscle from ageing, short-term inactivity, or muscle damage. 

Finally, using a novel model of sarcopenia ‘in a dish’, Dr Philp aims to discover novel therapeutic targets to improve skeletal muscle function. Collectively, the goals of Dr Philp’s work are to develop new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of sarcopenia with clear translational potential. 

Sarcopenia is prominent in patients with advanced liver disease, from any cause, and is associated with worse patient outcomes. Data from sarcopenia patients is being analysed to determine sarcopenia frequency and its correlation with energy expenditure, malnutrition and frailty. Professor McCaughan will study the molecular and cellular aspects of sarcopenia from blood and tissue samples taken from patients, to advance knowledge of this disorder. 

Cancer is a major cause of illness and is one of the leading causes of death accounting for approximately 50,000 Australian lives every year. Cancer is a group of many related diseases where abnormal cells grow in an uncontrolled manner, damaging tissue and organs. 

The risk of cancer increases with age–more than four times as many cancers are diagnosed in people over
60 years of age, as compared to those aged under 60. Over 41,000 Australians aged 60 and older died of cancer in 2020. 

Nicotinamide, the immune system and ageing

The body’s immune response can be compromised by the development of a state called T-cell exhaustion that leads to the ineffective clearance of cancers or infections. T-cells are an essential part of the immune system but decline in effectiveness in older people or when overly stimulated by disease. 

Professor Peter Hersey, Head of Centenary’s Melanoma Oncology and Immunology Program, has shown in T-cell culture studies that T-cell exhaustion can be prevented by the addition of nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3. 

Professor Hersey and his team are aiming to investigate the possible metabolic effects of nicotinamide on mitochondrial function which are the essential power houses in the T-cell that provide energy. They hope to test T-cell subpopulations and functions, and include tests on nicotinamide at pharmacologic doses in normal human subjects.

Nicotinamide’s ability to reduce skin cancers in older people is also of interest to Professor Hersey, as is a possible role for nicotinamide in improving COVID-19 vaccine response in individuals aged 80 plus.

Fighting cancer

The Centenary Institute is dedicated to developing new cancer diagnostics, treatments and cures through its dedicated ACRF Centenary Cancer Research Centre. 

Headed up by Professor Philip Hogg, the ACRF Centenary Cancer Research Centre is focused on two areas of research–an understanding of the inflammatory and metabolic causes of cancer; as well as the drivers behind cancer-driven thrombosis (blood clotting) which is a leading cause of death in cancer patients. Thrombosis accounts for about 9% of cancer-related deaths. 

An innovative break-through from Professor Hogg and his team was the recent discovery of an entirely novel aspect of how thrombosis proteins form and operate. With this understanding, work is now taking place to determine why some individuals have an increased tendency to form thrombi and why they are often resistant to anti-thrombotic drugs that are commonly used for treatments.

COVID-19 a new disease of the aged

Risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 increases markedly with age and for those individuals with pre-existing health conditions. Approximately 85% of all COVID-19 deaths occur in people aged 65 or older. The likely reasons for this are a weakened immune system due to ageing, decreasing the body’s ability to fight the viral infection effectively; and higher levels of existing health conditions in the elderly, which is known to complicate COVID-19 infection. 

At Centenary, a number of COVID-19 research programs are taking place under the leadership of Professor Phil Hansbro, Director of the Centenary UTS Centre for Inflammation. This includes the study of both the pathogenesis of COVID-19 as well as the mechanisms of viral infection. Novel drug therapies are also being developed and tested, that aim to suppress the inflammatory damage in the lungs to help improve patient recovery. Additionally, and in collaboration with the University of Sydney, research is taking place on the development of a unique, single-shot vaccine against COVID-19 with a focus on new variants of concern.  

Long Covid

SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced COVID-19 manifestations range from mild disease with fever, cough and fatigue, to severe and often fatal disease from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and multi-systemic organ failure. 

Most patients recover in a few weeks; however, it is now established that in some, especially older individuals, disease symptoms persist for months despite the resolution of infection. This is termed acute-post COVID syndrome or long COVID. The long-term damage following COVID-19 is poorly defined and little is known as to what causes long covid and how long covid alters the progression and severity of other diseases of ageing. 

Professor Philip Hansbro and his team have developed a unique K18-hACE2 long COVID-19 mouse model to experimentally examine long covid and determine the impact on established diseases of ageing in peripheral tissues. Utilising this experimental model, the goal is to develop new therapeutics to treat the debilitating effects of long-covid and associated disease.

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]]> Associate Professor Andy Philp https://www.centenary.org.au/people/associate-professor-andy-philp/ Wed, 06 Jul 2022 23:26:19 +0000 https://www.centenary.org.au/?post_type=cen_author&p=41155 Associate Professor Andy Philp is Head of the Biology of Ageing Program and convenor of the Centre for Healthy Ageing at the Centenary Institute. Andy is an internationally recognised expert in studying mitochondrial metabolism, with particular focus on skeletal muscle wasting disorders such as ageing, muscular dystrophy and mitochondrial myopathy. Following post-doctoral training at the ...

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]]> Associate Professor Andy Philp is Head of the Biology of Ageing Program and convenor of the Centre for Healthy Ageing at the Centenary Institute. Andy is an internationally recognised expert in studying mitochondrial metabolism, with particular focus on skeletal muscle wasting disorders such as ageing, muscular dystrophy and mitochondrial myopathy. Following post-doctoral training at the University of Dundee (UK) and University of California Davis (USA), Andy established his independent research laboratory in 2012 at the University of Birmingham (UK). He relocated to the Garvan Institute in 2018, prior to joining the Centenary Institute in 2022.

Andy has directly supervised 8 post-doctoral research officers (3 current), 2 clinical research fellows, 7 PhD (1 current), 10 masters students and 41 undergraduate honours project students. He has a proven track record in leading large scientific teams in diverse research disciplines having co-ordinated Wellcome Trust and European Research Council research programs between international collaborators, industry and community stakeholders. Andy has attained $10.1 million AUD in tier 1 grant funding as CIA and $26.4 million AUD as AI. Andy was awarded two NHMRC Ideas grants in 2021, investigating the role of mitochondrial targeted therapies in preventing age-associated muscle weakness and 3D-engineering approaches to model sarcopenia in vitro.

The quality of his work has been acknowledged internationally with New Investigator awards from the BBSRC (UK), American Physiological Society (USA) and RANK prize nutrition (UK). In 2019 Dr Philp was awarded the prestigious Al and Val Rosenstrauss fellowship from the Rebecca Cooper Medical Research Foundation to support his work in Geriatric research, a nationally competitive fellowship awarded to a single recipient annually for a period of four years. Dr Philp has 108 career publications with an H index of 44. His work has resulted in 7201 total citations (4570 in the last 5 years) and an average of over 500 citations a year since 2014.

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