This laboratory-based course provides hands-on training in experimental techniques used to investigate the biological mechanisms of aging. Students will learn to design and execute experiments that assess key hallmarks of aging at the cellular and molecular levels. Core methods include detection of cellular senescence (e.g., SA-β-gal staining), analysis of telomere length and telomerase activity, assessment of mitochondrial function and oxidative stress, and evaluation of DNA damage and repair pathways.
The course also introduces students to epigenetic and transcriptomic approaches relevant to aging research, including DNA methylation analysis, gene expression profiling, and the use of aging clocks. Students will work with in vitro model systems such as primary cells and established cell lines, and will be exposed to experimental models that mimic aging-related stress conditions.