NAD+ International Scientist-training

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is a central redox cofactor and the limiting substrate of key metabolic enzymes.

The constellation of cellular functions in which NAD+ is involved makes its availability critical for cell survival, and its depletion is a leading factor in a number of diseases in humans, ranging from rare inherited defects to more common multifactorial, often age-related, complications, including type 2 diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases and female infertility.

In contrast, NAD+-repletion strategies, such as administration of NAD+ precursors, may be effective in preventing or ameliorating the outcomes of these complications. NADIS partners have made pivotal discoveries in the field of NAD+ biology.

First, by discovering novel mechanisms linking NAD+ metabolism to prevalent diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer cachexia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or rare inherited mitochondrial disease, and to lifespan regulation.

Second, by identifying lifestyle, nutritional, and drug interventions that target NAD+ metabolic pathways to combat such diseases and promote healthy aging.

Despite these recent advances, there are still major gaps in our current knowledge in regard to (1) how NAD+ homeostasis is regulated at different stages in life, (2) how its imbalance leads to disease at a systemic level and (3) which NAD+ repletion strategy is the most suitable to prevent or treat specific diseases.

It is the ambition of the NADIS consortium to fill these gaps by training the new generation of Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) on how to apply state-of-the-art tools to study the interconnection between metabolic cofactors, such as NAD+, and metabolic health at different levels, and to provide them with an interdisciplinary and intersectoral training programme that significantly increases their career perspectives and allow them to become future leaders in the field of translational metabolism.