Ulysseus Research Summit: Towards innovations in ageing and well-being

University of Rochester

Presentation title: Inter-species ageing patterns / Comparative biology of ageing

Prof. Vera Gorbunova is a Professor in Biology, co-director of the Rochester Aging Research Center, and co-director of the Gorbunova and Seluanov Laboratory at the University of Rochester.
Gorbunova’s research is focused on aging, DNA repair, and cancer, as well as the understanding the mechanisms of longevity and cancer resistance of exceptionally long-lived mammals, in particular the naked mole rat. Her lab’s goals include developing strategies that extend lifespan and health span as well as interventions to prevent and treat age-related illnesses.
Gorbunova pioneered a comparative biology approach to study aging and identified rules that control the evolution of tumor suppressor mechanisms depending on the species’ lifespan and body mass.

Chonnan National University Medical School
Medispan Co.

Presentation title:  Modified version of flagellin to delay ageing and improve healthy ageing

Prof. Kyung A Cho is a dedicated researcher and professor specializing in the field of aging biology, with a particular interest in cellular senescence and immune aging. During her doctoral studies at Seoul National University College of Medicine, she began exploring the complex mechanisms of aging biology, focusing on cellular senescence and signal transduction pathways.
Upon joining Chonnam National University Medical School as a professor, Prof. Cho expanded her research interests to investigate the increased susceptibility to infections in the elderly population and potential ways to enhance immune aging. Her research has led to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the aging process and its impact on the immune system. Prof. Cho has been working on a technology that targets immune aging, with the aim of extending healthspan and improving the quality of life for the elderly. In order to translate her innovative research findings into practical applications, she founded MediSpan, a company dedicated to the development and advancement of this technology.
Through her ongoing work at MediSpan, Prof. Cho continues to contribute to the field of aging biology and immune aging research, seeking novel approaches to enhance the lives of the elderly population.

University of Oxford

Presentation title:  Machine Learning in the Prediction of Human Well-being

Dr. Caspar Kaiser is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Methodology and Statistics at Tilburg University, and will join Warwick Business School in the same capacity from September 2023. He is also a research affiliate at Oxford University’s Wellbeing Research Centre and Institute for New Economic Thinking, as well as a trustee of the Happier Lives Institute. Caspar holds a DPhil and MSc in Social Policy from Oxford University.
His research focuses on the measurement and determinants of human wellbeing. Regarding measurement, he works on improving the comparability of survey data on people’s feelings and analyses whether such data can measure welfare cardinally. Concerning determinants, he is particularly interested in how social comparisons and inequalities, particularly with respect to household incomes, shape people’s wellbeing.
Caspar also has an active interest in the wider normative implications of using subjective data, in welfare measurement, and in current developments in machine learning.

University of Manchester

Presentation title:  The state-of-the-art research and initiatives in the field of adolescent well-being measurement and promotion.

Dr. Jose Marquez is an experienced researcher, university lecturer, and consultant with expertise in child and adolescent wellbeing. He is particularly interested in studying how schools, organizations, and communities can improve the wellbeing of children and young people. He is currently based at the University of Manchester, where he works on the ground-breaking #BeeWell project to assess and promote adolescent wellbeing. He is also a Research Associate at the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford. Before, he was an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Cambridge.
Jose’s research has been published in leading scientific journals. He has been awarded prestigious research grants and fellowships, and presented his work at over 20 national and international conferences and seminars. He has also contributed to numerous initiatives on child and adolescent wellbeing measurement and promotion led by reputed organisations in the United Kingdom and international organisations such as the OECD, UNICEF, and the World Health Organisation.