Dr. Michael Rera

Department of  Functional and Adaptive Biology, Université Paris Cité, France

Invited by Dr. Valerie Mezger

“Studying ageing as a two-phase process.“

The hallmarks of aging framework, introduced over a decade ago and cited nearly 20,000 times, became quantifiable in 2018 through transcriptional counterparts. However, fundamental questions persist about what these hallmarks reveal regarding aging’s nature.

Using our laboratory’s biphasic aging model, we demonstrate that aging hallmarks manifest not progressively, but through an abrupt transition. As individuals age, they face increasing probability of undergoing the ‘Smurf transition,’ detected via in vivo intestinal permeability assessment. Strikingly, transcriptional and physiological hallmarks of aging appear almost exclusively in this expanding subpopulation experiencing barrier dysfunction.

These findings challenge conventional paradigms: Are aging hallmarks primarily markers of terminal decline rather than chronological aging? What implications does this discontinuous model hold for understanding aging mechanisms and age-related disease etiology? Our work suggests reconceptualizing aging hallmarks as end-of-life transitions markers may unlock novel insights into therapeutic interventions and disease prevention strategies.

The seminar will take place in the Institut Jacques Monod seminar room (RB-18B).

Bâtiment Buffon, 15 rue Hélène Brion, Paris 13^th.

On Wednesday, June 3^rd at 11:00 am.

Zoom link for remote attendees:

https://u-paris.zoom.us/j/86114422072?pwd=VzJ0c2pxcHl4OWppekx3MldlM2Y4QT09

Meeting ID: 861 1442 2072

Secret code:  492809

Relevant publications from the speaker:

• M Abakarova, MI Freiberger, A Liehrmann, M Rera*, E Laine*. Proteome-wide prediction of the Functional Impact of Missense Variants with ProteoCast. Nature Communications (2026)
• C. Cansell, F.Bain, V.Goepp, N.Todd, V.Douard, F.Zane, C.Sanchez, N.Pietrancosta, C.Rovere, RGP Denis, S.Luquet, M.Rera. Two-phase model of ageing in mice for improved identification of age-related and late life metabolic decline. BMC Biology (2025)
• Zane, C. Macmurray, C. Guillermain, C. Cansell, N. Todd, M Rera. Ageing as a Two-Phase Process: Development of a new Theoretical Framework. Frontiers in Aging (2024)
• T. Roget, C. Macmurray, P. Jolivet, S. Méléard, M. Rera.  A scenario for an evolutionary selection of ageing. ELife (2024)
• F. Zane, H. Bouzid, S. Besse, SS. Marmol, JL Molina, C. Cansell, F. Aprahamian, S. Durand, J. Ayache, C. Antoniewski, M. Rera. Smurness-based two-phase model of ageing helps deconvolve the ageing transcriptional signature. Aging Cell (2023)
• M.Gaille, M. Araneda, C. Dubost, C. Guillermain, S.Kaakai, E.Ricadat, N.Todd, M.Rera. Ethical and social implications of approaching death prediction in humans-when the biology of ageing meets existential issues. BMC Medical Ethics (2020)
• Dambroise, L.Monnier, L.Ruisheng, H.Aguilaniu, J-S.Joly, H.Tricoire, M.Rera: Two phases of aging separated by the Smurf transition as a public path to death. Scientific Reports (2016)
• H. Tricoire, M.Rera: A New, Discontinuous 2 Phases of Aging Model: Lessons from Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS ONE (2015)
• M. Rera*, R.I.Clark*, D.W. Walker: Intestinal barrier dysfunction links metabolic and inflammatory markers of aging to death in Drosophila. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2012)