Dear All

On behalf of prof. Katarzyna Kalita, I would like to cordially invite you to the next Nencki Institute Seminar on Thursday May 11^th at 3pm.

We will host dr. Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk, member of the Center for Translational Vision Research, at the School of Medicine of the University of California Irvine. Work in Skowronska-Krawczyk’s laboratory is focused on understanding the mechanism of aging using eye as a model system. Part of the work in the lab is aimed at developing treatments with special interest in repurposing FDA approved drugs for potential use in eye clinic. Work in Skowronska-Krawczyk’s laboratory is supported by NIH-NEI, Bright Focus Foundation, Thome Memorial Foundation and Glaucoma Research Foundation.

Dr. Skowronska-Krawczyk will give a lecture entitled: Repetitive stress induces accelerated aging (in the eye).

Abstract

Aging, a universal process that affects all cells in an organism, is a major risk factor for a group of neuropathies called glaucoma, where elevated intraocular pressure is one of the known stresses affecting the tissue. We developed a new mouse model to decipher the molecular impact of aging on response to stress. First, we show that susceptibility to stress increases with age and is primed on the chromatin level. We demonstrate that a program activated by stress caused by ocular hypertension is similar to natural aging and involves the activation of inflammation and senescence. Finally, we show that multiple instances of pressure elevation cause accelerated, persistent aging of the young retina as measured on transcriptional and DNA methylation level and is accompanied by the activation status of enhancers. Our data not only shows a direct acceleration of aging by stress but also suggests that the molecular mechanism of aging is regulated at the level of epigenetic activation and repression and, therefore, might be modifiable.

The seminar will be followed by a get together.

With best regards
Aleksandra Pękowska