Aging at the Interface of HIV and Transposable Elements (C03)

• Subject Area: Biogerontology and Geriatric Medicine ; Virology
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 450627322

Endogenous retroviruses (ERV) and other transposable elements have long been disregarded as “junk DNA” that is mostly silenced under physiological conditions. However, specific ERV families are activated upon viral infection, and we hypothesize that they may contribute to accelerated aging observed in HIV infected individuals. Using HIV infection as a model, this project aims at identifying mechanisms of ERV-induced senescence. The findings will help to uncover the role of transposable elements in physiological and pathological aging.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1506: Aging at Interfaces
• Applicant Institution: Universität Ulm
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Daniel Sauter