Heidelberg researchers study the function of telomeres in
cellular aging processes
By studying processes that occur at the ends of chromosomes,
a team of Heidelberg researchers has unravelled an important mechanism towards
a better understanding of cellular aging. The scientists focused on the length
of the chromosome ends, the so-called telomeres, which can be experimentally
manipulated. Their research, which was conducted at the Center for Molecular
Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH), allows for new approaches in the
development of therapies for tissue loss and organ failure associated with
senescence (cellular aging). The research results may also be significant for
cancer treatment. They were recently published in the journal “Nature
Structural & Molecular Biology”.