509928 - BIOLOGY OF AGING: FROM BASIC SCIENCE TO CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

courses

ID:

509928

Duration (hours):

24

CFU:

SSD:

BIOCHIMICA

Year:

2025

Date/time interval

Primo Semestre (22/09/2025 - 23/12/2025)

Course Objectives

The student will acquire an updated view of the events that contribute to the aging process at the molecular, cellular and organism levels both in health and disease. She/he will be presented with the most advanced insights in the aging field based on data coming from different research areas, from genetics to cell biology, biochemistry of proteins and systems. Using this detailed understanding of aging, the student will explore anti-aging interventions and means to increase life spans.

Course Prerequisites

The student is expected to: Demonstrate knowledge of the structure and function of biological molecules and supramolecular complexes, the metabolic pathways involved in energy production, the main biosynthetic processes and their regulation, as well as the mechanisms of cellular information transfer. Understand the relationship between molecular structure and biological function, and grasp the complexity of signaling networks that regulate and coordinate metabolic pathways and gene expression. Apply the knowledge and skills acquired during the Biochemistry course to understand the molecular basis of diseases and their therapeutic approaches.

Teaching Methods

The course includes face-to-face research lectures, a Journal Club with small group discussions, and a final plenary discussion in the classroom. Lectures are delivered using PowerPoint presentations, which are made available to students as teaching materials on the Kiro platform.

Assessment Methods

The final exam consists of a written test, graded on a scale of thirty, with the possibility of honors. The exam will cover all topics addressed during the course and is designed to assess the student's critical ability to understand and evaluate the molecular, cellular, and systemic events involved in the aging process, both in physiological and pathological conditions.

Texts

Hand book of the Biology of Aging (Musi N and Hornsby P), 9th edition 2021
Recent published papers in peer review scientific journals that will be provided by the teacher.

What happen at the molecular and cellular levels to cause the changes associated with old age? Is aging itself a disease, or a physiological stage of life? Can we successfully intervene in the aging process? The “global aging” of the population makes mandatory to understand the peculiarities of the aging process to properly address public health. The common goal of aging researchers is being able to extend the active lifespan. In the last decades the advances in many research areas from genetics to cell biology, biochemistry of proteins and systems biology strongly boosted investigations and knowledge in the Biology of Aging field. Furthermore, classical studies of genetics of longevity in laboratory species are now escalating to humans, thus making possible a better understanding of both physiological aging and age-related diseases. This course presents an in-depth analysis of the biology of aging, building up from changes occurring at the molecular and cellular level and analysing the consequences at the organism level. In addition, the influence of these age-related changes in what are commonly considered diseases of aging, such as skeletal, neurovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, will be discussed. Topics will include: theories of aging, experimental models used to study aging and longevity, impact of oxidative stress in cell and organ function, the metabolic syndrome of aging, functional changes in the skeletal, vascular and central nervous systems, genetic instability and genetics of aging and longevity.