On June 8, 2021, Sciencefeatured new research co-authored by multiple AFAR experts, including AFAR Board President James L. Kirkland, MD, PhD, as well as AFAR grantees Christina D. Camell, PhD, Nathan LeBrassuer, PhD, and Matthew J. Yousefzadeh, PhD, and Cristofalo Award recipient Laura Niedernhofer, PhD. In a preclinical study in mice, the research has found that senolytic drugs significantly reduce mortality upon infection with a beta-coronavirus closely related to SARS-CoV-2, or COVID-19, which disproportionately impacts older adults.
Dr. Camell is a 2020 Glenn Foundation for Medical Research and AFAR Grants for Junior Facultyrecipient and a 2017 Irene Diamond Fund and AFAR Postdoctoral Transition Awards in Agingrecipient. She is also an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics at the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Kirkland is AFAR’s Board President, a 2012 Glenn Foundation for Medical Research Breakthroughs in Gerontology (BIG) Award recipient, and a 2020 Irving S. Wright Award of Distinction recipient. He is also a distinguished Professor of Medicine and Physiology, as well as the Director at the Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
Dr. LeBrasseur is a 2002 Glenn/AFAR Scholarship for Research in the Biology of Aging recipient, and a 2019 Vincent Cristofalo Rising Star Award in Aging Research recipient. He is also a Consultant, Professor, and Co-Chair of Research in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Niedernhofer is a 2018 Vincent Cristofalo Rising Star Award in Aging Research recipient, and a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics at the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Yousefzadeh is a 2019 Irene Diamond Fund and AFAR Postdoctoral Transition Awards in Agingrecipient. He is a Postdoctoral Fellow of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics (TMED) at the University of Minnesota.
Read the research, “Senolytics reduce coronavirus-related mortality in old mice,” here.
Read a related press release here.
Learn more about cellular senescence and the promise of senolytic therapies here.
Learn more about COVID-19 research led by AFAR experts here.
