Rewiring Iron Metabolism to Extend Stem Cell Function and Healthspan
Dr. Roméo Blanc's laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studies how the body's control of iron breaks down with age. Iron is essential for life, yet many older adults accumulate excess iron in their tissues even as they become anemic, and that surplus may damage muscle and impair repair. Dr. Blanc's team discovered that just twelve weeks of a high-iron diet in young mice reproduces hallmarks of aging, including muscle weakness and loss of the stem cells that regenerate muscle. With AFAR support, they will test whether excess iron actively accelerates aging and how it harms stem cells. They will ask whether iron enters through a protein called CD44, triggers damaging lipid oxidation and chromatin changes, and can be blocked by iron-lowering drugs or antioxidant defenses. Because iron supplements are common later in life, this work could guide safer use and help preserve healthspan.
