This award will allow a multi-disciplinary study to be undertaken that will provide unique insight into the physiology of the human ageing process. In particular, by studying the same highly active healthy individuals over time we will begin to identify changes in physiological systems that can be attributed to the ageing process and not to ageing interacting with other lifestyle factors.
Professor Stephen Harridge, Head of Department, Centre for Human & Applied Physiological Sciences
21 February 2020
Researchers awarded £1.3m to study the physiology of healthy human ageing
A team from the Centre for Human & Applied Physiological Sciences has been awarded a grant by Nadace The JetBrains Foundation, to explore the effects of inactivity on human ageing processes and physiological function.
The project, Comparing the Phenotypes and Trajectories of Human Ageing Associated with Exercise or Inactivity: with a particular focus on the biology of skeletal muscle and the immune system will comprise both a longitudinal study in healthy, highly active participants (master cyclists previously studied eight years ago when they were aged 55- 79 years) and a cross-sectional study involving similarly aged sedentary, but otherwise healthy, older people. It will also compare young active and sedentary people.
The team led by Professor Stephen Harridge, Professor (Emeritus) Norman Lazarus and Dr Ross Pollock, will work in collaboration with the University of Birmingham. The study will take place over 39 months.
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Professor of Human & Applied Physiology
Senior Lecturer in Aerospace Physiology