Research Overview
Our research studies ageing as a聽long-term biological process driven by the accumulation of molecular changes, rather than by chronological time alone. We focus on聽protein oxidation聽as a key mechanism linking metabolism, inflammation, environmental exposure, and tissue dysfunction.
Proteins are continuously exposed to chemical and oxidative stress during normal metabolism and disease. Oxidative modifications can change protein structure, activity, interactions, and stability. Some modifications are reversible, while others persist and accumulate over time, especially in long-lived proteins and in the extracellular matrix. These changes can influence cellular behaviour, tissue organisation, and long-term biological function.
We do not view protein oxidation only as random damage. Instead, we study how oxidative modifications reflect past stress exposure and how they contribute to adaptation, tissue remodelling, or dysfunction under prolonged stress. From this perspective, ageing聽emerges聽as a gradual outcome of accumulated molecular alterations rather than as a direct result of chronological age.
To study these processes in relevant biological contexts, we combine聽advanced quantitative proteomics听飞颈迟丑听biologically realistic cell and tissue models, including three-dimensional liver systems, muscle cell models, and extracellular matrix鈥揻ocused approaches. We also use controlled exposure models to study metabolic, inflammatory, and environmental stress.
Key questions we address include:
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How do different forms of stress lead to protein oxidation in cells and tissues?
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How do oxidised proteins influence cellular function and tissue organisation?
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When does protein oxidation support adaptation, and when does it contribute to ageing-related disease?
By linking molecular analysis with tissue-level models, our research aims to improve understanding of how long-term molecular stress聽shapes聽biological function and disease risk.