Molecular mechanisms of selective autophagy during the course of ageing
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Warwick
Department Name: School of Life Sciences
Abstract
Advances in modern medicine have led to a significant increase in human life expectancy. A consequence of this has been the increase of the frequency of ageing-related diseases. Recent studies have indicated that a breakdown of the proteolytic cellular machinery of autophagy in cells, is involved in the development of ageing-related diseases. Autophagy is an essential catabolic process that involves the degradation of cytoplasmic material through the lysosomal pathway. Cells use autophagy to generate materials and energy when conditions become unfavourable. They also use this process to clear damaged cellular components. We will use the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a genetically modifiable model organism to investigate the mechanisms of interplay between endosomal trafficking and selective autophagy during ageing in vivo. These mechanisms are very similar between fruit flies and humans, so the results will have direct relevance to human health. The main objectives of the project are: 1) To examine the interaction between autophagy-related proteins and proteins that regulate endosomal trafficking 2) To examine whether phosphorylation mediates and defines the above interactions 3) To examine how endosomal trafficking mutants regulate ageing through autophagy.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Ioannis Nezis (Primary Supervisor) | |
Bhavini Patel (Student) |
Studentship Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BB/M01116X/1 | 30/09/2015 | 31/03/2024 | |||
1786903 | Studentship | BB/M01116X/1 | 02/10/2016 | 30/09/2020 | Bhavini Patel |
Description | I have discovered that the protein I am working with, ArfGAP3, is an Atg8a-interacting protein suggesting that it plays a key role in the mechanism of Autophagy. I am currently working on investigating further what exactly is the role of ArfGAP3 in autophagy during the course of ageing. |
Exploitation Route | To early to say. |
Sectors | Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Description | 3rd Midlands Drosophila Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Our lab group attended the 3rd Midlands Drosophila Meeting in June 2018 at University of Nottingham, where we presented posters of our research work and attended a series of presentations by invited speakers and principal investigators as well as some PhD students and Post Docs. My role at the conference was to present my work in a poster for the day. The outcome of my engagement at this conference resulted in an interest into knowing more about the protein that I am working on and it's relation to the mechanism of Autophagy. My engagement did not have any other significant influence other than this. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Autophagy UK Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Our lab group attended the Autophagy UK conference in April 2018 at University of Cambridge, where we presented posters of our research work and attended a series of presentations by invited speakers and principal investigators as well as some PhD students and Post Docs. My role at the conference was to present my work in a poster for the 2 days. The outcome of my engagement at this conference resulted in an interest into knowing more about the protein that I am working on and it's relation to the mechanism of Autophagy. My engagement did not have any other significant influence other than this. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |