SMART AMR Explores the Link Between Immune Systems, Chronic Diseases and Ageing at Biology@Create Seminar

Held on 12 August, the Biology@CREATE seminar, hosted by SMART’s Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) interdisciplinary research group (IRG), brought together more than 80 attendees, including participants from A*STAR, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and various Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) entities, to explore the role of the immune system and its links to ageing-associated chronic diseases.

Prof Jianzhu Chen presenting at the Biology@CREATE Seminar

At the seminar, Prof Jianzhu Chen, Principal Investigator at SMART AMR, Professor in the Department of Biology at MIT, and member of the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, shared insights from his research on immune cell biology and technologies developed to prevent or treat ageing-associated chronic diseases.

The immune system is best known for defending the body against infections, but its gradual decline is also a major contributor to age-related disease. As the body ages, it produces fewer new immune cells, while existing immune cells can become exhausted and lose function. At the same time, chronic inflammation increases. Together, these changes can contribute to a range of age-associated conditions, including cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, cognitive decline, and loss of physical function.

Prof Jianzhu shared that his research seeks to better understand the role of immune cells and to identify ways to restore their functions. His presentation detailed how modulating macrophage polarisation can harness the immune system to prevent and treat diseases. Through research carried out at the Chen Lab and SMART AMR, his team has developed a high-throughput screening technology to identify compounds that can alter the functional states of macrophages, key immune cells involved in inflammation, alongside computational platforms to identify compounds that could potentially rejuvenate immunity. 

Prof Jianzhu also showcased a drug screening platform, which enables researchers to visualise changes in macrophage morphology following drug treatment. This could support the selection of natural products or drug compounds with the potential to improve treatment options for diseases such as atherosclerosis and diabetic foot ulcers.  

These technologies enable new approaches to preventing or treating ageing-associated chronic diseases, with the potential to ease the growing burden of these diseases on ageing populations and healthcare systems.

The session concluded with an engaging discussion between Prof Jianzhu and attendees who raised questions about the potential applications of Prof Jianzhu’s research and possibilities for future collaborations.