Dr. Maria Ermolaeva
Group Leader
No one should have to face frailty or cognitive decline in later life.
At the Ermolaeva Laboratory, we work to prevent this outcome. We aim to identify interventions that enhance the resilience of cells and tissues across the lifespan, thereby extending the disease-free period of life and preserving health for as long as possible.
As we age, our cells lose energy and adaptability—a process closely linked to the function of mitochondria, the cell’s “powerhouses”. Researchers at the Leibniz Institute on Aging—Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) in Jena have now discovered that the membrane lipid phosphatidylcholine plays a key role in this process. Reduced production of this lipid leads to decline of mitochondrial flexibility and thus contributes significantly to natural mitochondrial aging. However, this process can be influenced by dietary provision of nutrient phosphatidylcholine, which can measurably restore mitochondrial function in aged model organisms. This opens new opportunities for interventions against age-related metabolic decline and for healthy aging.
On October 22, a Georgian delegation visited the FLI to explore Thuringia’s life sciences sector, learn about research on aging, and discuss potential collaborations in healthcare and technology.
Dr. Prerana Shrikant Chaudhari, postdoctoral researcher at the FLI in Jena, receives €100,000 in federal funding for the development of the first pharmacological treatment for leaky gut syndrome.
The Leibniz Lab “Pandemic Preparedness: One Health, One Future” connects excellent interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research. The Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) in Jena is involved by sending three renowned researchers for this purpose. The common goal: to better protect society in future pandemics.
New findings on the role of RNA Polymerase I in longevity and metabolic health - excessive protein synthesis shortens lifespan - connection between energy metabolism and cancer risk.
Dr. Maria Ermolaeva from the Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) in Jena has received the coveted ERC Consolidator Grant from the EU, in the sum of two million euros. The LifeLongFit project, now funded for the next five years, is looking at ways to contribute to healthier aging through the influence of mild stress.
