Netanya Aarabi Canagarajah

• MBBS
• Does mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle stem cells drive sarcopenia in people ageing with HIV?

If we can better understand what makes us age, we may be able to slow the onset of much ill health. Muscle is very important for healthy ageing. Healthy muscle requires tiny 'batteries' in our cells called 'mitochondria'. We already know that these mitochondria are damaged in some people living with HIV. We also know that some people with HIV are frailer than expected. Muscle also needs 'stem cells' to repair itself, and these stem cells also need healthy mitochondria. 

In this project I will find out whether muscle from people with HIV has damaged mitochondria in the stem cells. I will then ask whether this is related to reduced muscle mass.

I expect this work will help us to understand why some people with HIV are frail. In the future this may lead to new treatments to improve the long-term health of these patients.

Funding source: Newcastle University

Project supervisor: Dr Brendan Payne