M2 Biology of Aging and Longevity

Specialty Directors: Bertrand FRIGUET and Rachel SHERRARD

PRESENTATION OF THE SPECIALTY

With the increasing life expectancy of the population, the maintenance of quality of life over a longer lifespan has become a major issue for society. Aging is thus a very broad field encompassing a number of crucial issues relating to both basic science (understanding the biological processes of aging) and multiple applications (particularly in the domain of health). An understanding of these issues and the optimization of quality of life in the elderly require improvements in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying aging and the development of vulnerabilities affecting major physiological functions during a person’s life.

OBJECTIVES OF THE SPECIALTY:

-          To understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying aging and longevity. 

-          To understand the relationships between the normal and pathological aging of major organs and changes in their functions.

-          To analyze, in various animal models and humans, the networks of genes determining the physiology of an organism, changes in that physiology over time and the importance of environmental factors in this process.

-          To shed light on the consequences of a longer lifespan for public health and society.

SEMESTER 1 (M2S3): The course units for M2S3 are detailed in the booklet for the BIP master’s course.

SEMESTER 2 (M2S4): A six-month placement in a laboratory, in France or abroad.