Lords to consider processes of ageing affecting physical, cognitive and mental health
On Tuesday 22nd October the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee will question academic experts about the fundamental processes of ageing, to inform its inquiry into how science and technology can enable healthier living in old age.
In the first session the committee will explore the biological mechanisms driving ageing and how these relate to physical health, cognitive function and mental health. The witnesses include:
- Professor Avan Aihie Sayer, Director, NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre
- Professor Richard Faragher, Professor of Biogerontology, Brighton University
- Professor David Melzer, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at the Medical School, University of Exeter
- Dr Jordana Bell, Senior Lecturer and Head of Epigenomics Research Group, King's College London
The session will begin at 10:25 in Committee Room 1 of the House of Lords. Questions likely to be asked include:
- Do we understand the contribution of genetics to healthy ageing?
- What is epigenetics and what role does it play in the ageing process?
- Is our understanding of the influence of these processes as we age as thorough for mental health as it is for physical health?
The second session will focus on biomarkers, and how they can be used for assessing and measuring the ageing process. The term biomarkers is used to apply to a wide range of indicators which can be used to assess ageing, including markers measured in blood or tissue, but also measures of physical or cognitive performance. The witnesses include:
- Dr Riccardo Marioni, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine and the Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh
- Professor Graham Kemp, Professor of Metabolic and Physiological Imaging, Liverpool University
The session will begin at around 11:25am. Questions likely to be asked include:
- Do we have reliable biomarkers (including of physical and cognitive capabilities) to determine how well or how poorly an individual is ageing?
- Are biomarkers of ageing currently used in the NHS? If not, could they be used in the future?
- Are biomarkers being used in clinical trials that target the ageing process to determine whether clinical interventions are having an effect on those markers?
