Amélie Descamps
Contact Info
Drug Quality and Registration (DruQuaR) group
Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent (Belgium)
Phone: + 32 (0)9 264.80.94
E-mail: Amelie.Descamps@ugent.be
PhD Research
Title: The role of bacterial quorum sensing peptides in sarcopenia.
Summary:
Sarcopenia is a geriatric disease characterized by a severe decrease in muscle mass, strength and/or physical function with aging. Because of the global human aging, sarcopenia has become a major health problem. Recent studies now indicate a link between this disease and the microbes in the gut, the so-called microbiome. However, the central mediators between the gut bacteria system and sarcopenia, are still largely unknown. Based on literature and in vitro as well as animal in vivo data from our group, we hypothesize that quorum sensing peptides, produced by the gut bacteria, can play a role in the gut microbiome – sarcopenia axis. Therefore, this research project will investigate the physiological in vivo behavior of the in vitro-active quorum sensing peptides. In addition, their mechanisms of action as well as their presence in mice and human bio-fluids will be investigated to evaluate their biological relevance.
Overall, this project seeks to uncover new insights into the role of microbiota in sarcopenia, which may have an impact on both diagnosis and therapy.
Keywords: sarcopenia, gut microbiome, quorum sensing peptides