Building Links in Ageing Science and Engagement (BLAST)

Considerable progress has been made over the last two decades in uncovering the mechanisms of ageing in simple model organisms and systems.

Large extensions of healthy longevity in laboratory organisms are routine. But for laboratory breakthroughs to improve the quality of later life they must be suitable for deployment in human populations.

This grant builds a new interdisciplinary ageing research community by drawing in a broad range of disciplines and attracting new expertise and partners to strengthen the UK ageing research base.

The 'Building Links in Ageing Science and Engagement', BLAST network, focuses on increasing scientific understanding of the mechanistic drivers of biological ageing that diminish healthspan and lifespan, and identification of predictive/diagnostic biomarkers of age-related poor health.

By conducting integrative workshops, summer schools and journal clubs, supporting new research through pump-priming funding, as well as establishing a significant online and social media community, BLAST aims to facilitate interaction between network members to increase knowledge of health-limiting ageing biology mechanisms and ensure effective dissemination of advances, including provision of clinical training resources.

BLAST has partnered with academics across STEMM, social sciences and humanities disciplines, as well as biotechnologists, industry, funders, health care professionals, economists and policy makers to work together to identify effective interventions in ageing processes and develop routes for translation to improve health in later.

BLAST aims to:

> break down silos between researchers in the life, environmental, medical, physical, and social sciences
> facilitate interaction between network members to increase knowledge of health-limiting ageing biology mechanisms and ensure effective dissemination of advances, including provision of clinical training resources
> partner with biotechnologists, health care professionals, social scientists, economists and policy makers to identify effective interventions in ageing processes and develop routes for translation to improve health in later life
> focus on increasing scientific understanding of the mechanistic drivers of biological ageing that diminish healthspan and lifespan, and predictive/diagnostic biomarkers of age-related poor health.