Biology of Ageing and Age-related Disease Master's

Embark on a thought-provoking journey into the world of geroscience with the Biology of Ageing and Age-Related Disease Master's program, a specialised track within the Biosciences MRes.

In the Biology of Ageing and Age-Related Disease Master's, you will engage in a cutting-edge research project in gerontology, supervised by a researcher from the UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing or an affiliate. The thought module of your choice will teach you about the most recent and exciting discoveries of ageing research and how these are shaping our understanding of human lifespan and age-related diseases, such as cancer and dementia. 

Why Choose UCL's Biology of Ageing and Age-Related Disease Master's?

Cutting-Edge Research: Dive deep into the molecular, cellular, and physiological mechanisms of ageing, exploring the latest breakthroughs in longevity research.
Expert Supervision: Work alongside renowned researchers from the UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing or affiliated institutions, gaining invaluable mentorship and guidance.
World-Class Faculty: Learn from leading experts in the field, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay between ageing and disease.

Whether you aspire to a career in academia, industry, or healthcare, the Biology of Ageing and Age-Related Disease Master's will equip you with the knowledge and skills to understand this increasingly important field.

Subject stream tutor

Dr Nazif Alic
Email: n.alic@ucl.ac.uk 

Biology of Ageing and Age-Related Disease taught module (choose one)

• BIOL0022: Biology of Ageing
• BIOL0027: Diseases of Ageing

Please Note: There may be access to modules other than those provided above. However, all optional modules must have the approval of the subject stream tutor. Some modules may be appropriate for more than one subject stream. You can view further information about the modules in the Module Catalogue.

Listen to the experts from the Institute of Healthy Ageing talking about their research:

• Ageing and Disease - David Gems / Serious Science
• Ageing Healthily - Professor Dame Linda Partridge

Read about the research from the Institute of Healthy Ageing:

• Hallmarks of ageing: An expanding universe
• The Hallmarks of Ageing
• RNA polymerase III limits longevity downstream of TORC1
• C9orf72 repeat expansions cause neurodegeneration in Drosophila through arginine-rich proteins

Example project titles

• Mechanisms underlying anti-ageing effects of drugs in the fruit fly.
• How does cellular respiration impact the chronological lifespan of fission yeast?
• Role of ISGylation in metabolic regulation in adipocytes.
• Understanding age-related pathology development in C. elegans.
• RNA polymerase III and longevity in Drosophila.
• Identifying new genetic modifiers of toxicity in models of C9orf72-associated neurodegeneration.
• Establishing the interplay between protein aggregation, metabolism, and ageing, using protein folding sensors and metabolic probes.
• Lactation in nematodes: C. elegans hermaphrodites secrete yolk to feed their young.
• Effects of ABCC5 (MRP5) overexpression on the lifespan of human Multipotent Adipose-Derived stem cells (hMADS).
• Role of microbial vitamin B6 synthesis in a host-microbe interspecies relationship.
• The role of the intestinal permeability in healthspan and longevity in C. elegans.
• Microbe induced macromolecular damage mimicry activates a metabolic dependent stress response in the host.
• Pharyngeal pathology can cause early death in ageing C. elegans.