An omics approach to understand ageing in C. elegans.

Ageing is seen as a gradual decline in function over time, thought to be due to the accumulation of molecular damage, and ultimately leading to death. Pioneering studies almost two decades ago showed that manipulating biological pathways could increase the lifespan of an organism by more than half and it is now generally accepted that ageing is under biological control. Since then, ageing research has progressed tremendously. However, many questions still remain regarding the fundamentals of ageing and longevity, including how lifespan signals are passed between different cells and tissues, and what lies at the molecular basis of longevity. In this project, I will employ various molecular omics techniques and the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans to provide answers to these remaining questions. Proteomics and metabolomics will be used to uncover the molecular basis of ageing, by relying on the exceptional and largely unexplored longevity of axenic worms (i.e. worms cultured in rich media without the natural C. elegans food source, namely bacteria). Likewise, peptidomics will be used to identify peptide hormone regulators of ageing, that may communicate longevity cues between different tissues. To improve this process, I will optimize a novel technique for performing single-cell peptidomics in C. elegans. Overall, this project will provide a solid framework for increasing our fundamental knowledge regarding the regulation of ageing.