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Published on: August 13, 2012
Systems biology and bioinformatics in aging research: a workshop report
Georg Fuellen1, Jörn Dengjel, Andreas Hoeflich
1Institute for Biostatistics and Informatics in Medicine and Ageing Research, Department of Medicine, Rostock University, Germany. fuellen@uni-rostock.de
Rejuvenation Research
|September 7, 2012
Summary
Extending health span is crucial in aging societies. Computational approaches, particularly in systems biology and bioinformatics, offer valuable insights into aging and age-related diseases like cancer.
Area of Science:
- Systems Biology
- Bioinformatics
- Aging Research
Background:
- Aging is a complex process.
- Health span extension is a key societal challenge.
- Computational methods aid in understanding aging and developing interventions.
Framework:
- The Rostock Symposium on Systems Biology and Bioinformatics in Ageing Research (RoSyBA) convenes experts in the field.
- The symposium highlighted the intersection of cancer and aging research.
- Work funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) was a key focus.
Implementation:
- Computational work is vital for gaining insights into aging.
- Identifying interventions to prevent or counteract aging-related diseases is a key objective.
- The symposium series fosters discussion and collaboration in aging research.
Implications:
- Future meetings will focus on ontologies for computational research in aging, stem cells, and cancer.
- Promoting knowledge formalization is essential for advancing computational aging research.
- The findings and discussions aim to accelerate progress in understanding and mitigating aging processes and diseases.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Aging
Aging is a complex biological phenomenon influenced by various processes that affect cellular and systemic functions. Several prominent theories attempt to explain its mechanisms, highlighting cellular limitations, oxidative damage, and hormonal changes as central factors in aging.
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
01:19The Effect of Aging on Tissues
Several body functions deteriorate with age. The external signs of aging are easily identifiable. For example, the skin becomes dry, less elastic, and thins out, forming wrinkles. The skin of the face begins to appear looser due to a decrease in the levels of elastic and collagen fibers in the connective tissue. Additionally, melanin production in the hair follicle decreases with age, resulting in gray hair. Moreover, the senses of sight and hearing decline, so glasses and hearing aids may...
02:15Replicative Cell Senescence
Replicative cell senescence is a property of cells that allows them to divide a finite number of times throughout the organism's lifespan while preventing excessive proliferation. Replicative senescence is associated with the gradual loss of the telomere — short, repetitive DNA sequences found at the end of the chromosomes. Telomeres are bound by a group of proteins to form a protective cap on the ends of chromosomes. Embryonic stem cells express telomerase — an enzyme that adds the telomeric...
01:37Mitochondria
Mitochondria are eukaryotic cellular organelles that are known to produce energy through a process called oxidative phosphorylation. Besides their primary function, mitochondria are involved in various cellular processes, including cell growth, differentiation, signaling, metabolism, and senescence. Age-related changes cause a decline in mitochondrial quality and integrity due to increased mitochondrial mutations and oxidative damage. Thus, aging can severely impact mitochondrial functions,...
02:26Protein Networks
An organism can have thousands of different proteins, and these proteins must cooperate to ensure the health of an organism. Proteins bind to other proteins and form complexes to carry out their functions. Many proteins interact with multiple other proteins creating a complex network of protein interactions.
These interactions can be represented through maps depicting protein-protein interaction networks, represented as nodes and edges. Nodes are circles that are representative of a protein,...
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01:22PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway
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