Investigating liver-to-brain transmission of cellular senescence during aging

Cellular senescence is an established cause of cell and tissue aging. Senescence is induced by a range of cellular stresses and characterized by a potent pro-inflammatory phenotype, commonly known as the Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASP). As a source of chronic inflammation, SASP also promotes tissue aging and disease. Consequently, there is great interest in selectively targeting senescent cells as a strategy to promote healthy aging. Dr. Jurk proposes to investigate the hypothesis that during aging, accumulation of senescent cells in the liver can transmit senescence to the brain, thereby contributing to brain aging. To do that, she will use innovative transgenic mice models that can either induce senescence or eliminate senescent cells specifically in the liver and study the consequences of these interventions on the brain. Furthermore, she will explore the role of extracellular vesicles as a mechanism mediating liver-to-brain senescence transmission during aging.