Exercise, Extracellular Vesicles and Senescence (EEVaS) - Molecular mechanisms promoting healthspan

Age is the main risk factor for the prevalent chronic diseases of developed countries. This fact has raised the question whether we should treat aging instead of treating individual diseases. Accumulation of senescent cells with age underlie several chronic diseases, whereas exercise diminishes the markers of cellular senescence. The biological significance of cellular senescence on healthy aging remains yet to be fully understood. Exercise, Extracellular Vesicles and Senescence (EEVaS) study aims to establish the key signaling molecules mediating the senolytic effects of exercise. To reveal the mechanisms, EEVaS study utilizes cell, animal, and human models. The study will be carried out at the Gerontology Research Center, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland. When successful, the results of EEVaS study have potential to be translational to human health in delaying the onset of age-related chronic diseases and hence, increasing healthspan.

Funding
Research Council of Finland (2023-2027)

Research Team
Principal Investigator
Sira Karvinen, Docent, Research Fellow, University Lecturer, Gerontology Research Center and Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä; Department of Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, University of Helsinki

Tia-Marje Korhonen, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä
Tuuli Nissinen, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä
Veera Puumalainen, MSc, Doctoral Researcher, Gerontology Research Center and Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä

Collaborators
Maarit Lehti, PhD, Head of Laboratory, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä
Riikka Kivelä, Professor, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä
Lauren G. Koch, Professor, University of Toledo, USA
Mustafa Atalay, Senior Lecturer, University of Eastern Finland

Project website