MyAge congratulates Dr Mark Burton (University of Southampton), who has been awarded a Vivensa Foundation Proleptic Fellowship, which aims to support future leaders in ageing-related research.
The award builds on previous MyAge support, in particular funding for a ‘Missing Link’ project in collaboration with Professor Keith Godfrey, Dr Harnish Patel (NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre) and Dr James Schofield , CEO of spin-out company, TopMD, entitled Identifying the small-non-coding RNA signature associated with ageing and sarcopenia in serum from older adults of the Hertfordshire Study.
This pilot study generated preliminary data in support of the Vivensa Foundation fellowship application, utilising sequencing data showing the molecular changes within blood taken from healthy older adults and those with sarcopenia (age-related loss of muscle mass, strength and function) to identify markers of ageing and sarcopenia. The team measured levels of molecules called small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs), which control expression of genes. Alterations in levels of specific sncRNAs may reflect changes in ageing and muscle dysregulation, which could potentially be developed as a diagnostic tool or used as therapeutic biomarkers.
For this award, instead of taking a conventional data analysis approach, Dr Schofield and TopMD applied mathematical topology to analyse the levels of sncRNAs in the healthy and sarcopenic data sets. Topology reveals ‘shapes’ of abundance of sncRNAs and can point to interactions between genes that shed new light on cellular processes involved in muscle ageing.
This research represents a new way to investigate the molecular underpinnings of ageing and sarcopenia. Through gaining a better understanding of changes that occur in circulating sncRNA levels we will have the opportunity to identify biomarkers of ageing and sarcopenia, which can be used in diagnosis, stratification of severity and identification of patient subgroups, helping to personalise interventions.
Dr Burton said, “This collaboration with TopMD has allowed us both to work on something completely new and exciting. There is a huge amount of useful information when we look at the data in high resolution, allowing new insight into intricate relationships that might support future treatments for sarcopenia. The Vivensa Foundation fellowship will build on these and previous findings using muscle tissue and blood serum, integrating information from sncRNAs, RNAs and circulating metabolites to understand the complete disease signature.”
He continued, “I am delighted to receive such a prestigious Vivensa Foundation award. My involvement with the MyAge network has been instrumental in shaping my current research programme. It has provided me with the opportunity to engage with leading academics in muscle ageing research across the UK and overseas and to lead competitively awarded innovative research projects to generate pilot data supporting grant applications. This has positioned me in the best possible place to continue this important work linked to improving health in older adults with support from a superb range of interdisciplinary collaborators within the ageing research community.
I have received so much support and encouragement from people I’ve met through the network, in particular Dr Kambiz Alavian (MyAge joint Director, Imperial), who will be mentoring me as part of my fellowship award, Professor Peter JS Smith (MyAge Director) and Dr Alexandra Mant (Institute for Life Sciences Collaboration Manager)”.
“I would also like to give special thanks to Prof Keith Godfrey (MyAge co-lead, Southampton, and my current mentor) and my supervisor, the late Prof Karen Lillycrop, for their leadership, inspiration and support. I am now energised and excited to take this research forward with the support of the Vivensa Foundation and the University of Southampton.”
TopMD CEO and Co-Founder Dr James Schofield said, “TopMD are excited to be partnering in this groundbreaking project, using topological analysis to understand the global molecular profile of sarcopenia.”
MyAge Director, Professor Peter JS Smith said, “This is exactly what we hoped the Missing Link funding would support: that final piece of evidence to complete an important publication or grant application and accelerate career progress. Tremendous work, Mark and collaborators!”
Read more about the team’s work here:
Burton M.A., et al. (2024). The serum small non-coding RNA (SncRNA) landscape as a molecular biomarker of age associated muscle dysregulation and insulin resistance in older adults. https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.202301089RR
Find out more about TopMD.
Find out more about the Vivensa Foundation.
Dr Mark Burton, University of Southampton
Professor Paul Skipp, University of Southampton, Co-Founder of TopMD.