The mechanobiology of ageing: reproduction of the ageing and rejuvenating ECM environment

Ageing is a chronic process that represents a permanent and gradual deterioration of the human body. It can be either physiological or pathological, the latter being related to diseases such as cancers, diabetes, Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease. The pathological or physiological cellular decay associated with ageing includes the

deterioration of mechanical properties of the cell and the extracellular matrix (ECM), and alterations of mechanosensitive and mechanotransductive signalling. Mechanotransduction is the ability of a cell to perceive external mechanical stimuli and translate them into biochemical signals, a phenomenon that is the basis for many cellular

activities. Indeed, mechanical forces are pivotal to regulate gene expression, adhesion, migration and cell fate, which are all important factors for tissue homeostasis. Understanding how the multifaced and temporal ageing process affects the pathways involved in the transmission of these forces is, therefore, necessary to enhance the

comprehension of ageing-related dysregulation and diseases. The project aims to study the impact of the ECM viscoelastic properties on cellular senescence, either to understand how cells are affected during physiological and pathological ageing and to invert this process inducing the rejuvenation of the cells.

This work has two major objectives: identify useful biomarkers for the diagnosis of ageing related diseases and define a possible rejuvenation process as a therapeutical solution to prevent or treat pathological ageing-associated dysregulations.