Featured ICSA members

Meet our members, read about their stories and aspirations. Do you want to feature on this page? Contact us for an interview.

"Just follow your dream and passion. Lastly, I highly recommend you join ICSA/yICSA community to further expand your experience by meeting several high-qualified scientists in cellular senescence worldwide."

Dr Agian Jeffilano Barinda

05 - From Argentina

Dr Julieta Ceruti

ICT Milstein- CONICET

Recipient of the yICSA DEI Travel Award to attend the ICSA2023 Conference in Minneapolis, USA.

What is your current research focus?

The hair follicle, which is considered a miniorgan, is a compelling model in aging research, as its miniaturization and the hair loss are significant phenotypic traits of aging. Dermal papilla cells , located at HF base regulate cyclic hair growth by inducing differentiation of hair follicle stem cells located at the bulge region. DPC from bald patients have reduced proliferative capacity associated with premature cell senescence. Our current work is aimed to generate a 3D model of UVB induced senescence in human DPC spheroids and to study its effect on HFSC differentiation.

Could you describe your career journey thus far?

I got my biology degree at the University of Buenos Aires. Then, during the PhD, I studied the rol of the cell cycle regulator p19INK4d, in the DNA damage response with different genotoxic, including UV. Also, I characterized p19INK4d expression regulation by UV (Eduardo Cánepa´s lab. FCEN-UBA-Argentina). After that, I studied the role of ING1b in different DNA repair pathways, in collaboration with Ignacio Palmero´s lab (IIB-UAM-Spain). Then, I moved to ICT Milstein- CONICET, and began to study the differentiation of HFSCs in a model of androgenetic alopecia. Now, we are focusing the research on the effect of DNA damage and cellular senescence on it.

What did ICSA sponsorship represent to you

I am very grateful to ICSA, as it gave me the opportunity to attend the conference in Minneapolis last November, show my results, chat in person with leaders in senescence research and meet so many enthusiastic people from all over the world. It was an extremely enriching experience, receiving good advice and ideas from colleagues. I hope to see you all next year!!

04 - From Brazil

Paula Barros

PhD Candidate.

Recipient of the yICSA DEI Travel Award to attend the ICSA2023 Conference in Minneapolis, USA.

"My name is Paula Barros, I’m a PhD candidate in Pharmacology at the University of Sao Paulo, Medical School of Ribeirao Preto, Brazil with a year fellowship from Brazil to perform my experiments at the University of South Carolina (USC), School of Medicine (SOM), Columbia, US. Since my master's degree I focused my research on study the deleterious effects of senescence in vascular physiology and investigate possible molecular targets to target accelerated vascular aging."

What is your current research focus?

With the growing elderly population worldwide representing a major challenge for health systems. A major hallmark of aging is the accumulation of senescent cells and the impact of this phenomenon on the microvasculature remains unexplored. Targeting endothelial senescent cells could promote healthy aging and be a new therapy to reduce age‐related cardiovascular outcomes. Based on my continued interest in this research field, in my PhD I decided to target the role of post-translational modification of proteins with a sugar residue derived from the Hexosamine Biosynthetic Pathway (HBP) – known as O-GlcNAc in both inducing and maintaining endothelial cell senescence within microvasculature.

Could you describe your career journey thus far?

I’m originally from the Amazon region of Brazil, where I worked as a clinical study coordinator. To pursue my studies, I had to move from my hometown due to limited research opportunities and funding within the region and I opted to study at the renowned University of Sao Paulo (USP), widely considered the top university in Latin America. Fortunately, I secured funding through government research incentive programs in Brazil, enabling me to fully finance my graduate studies from master's to PhD level. During my time as a graduate student, I decided to study senescence due to its vast range of potential areas of exploration and since the field of cardiovascular senescence is relatively underexplored. This challenge involves adapting existing methodologies to align with your specific research interests in vascular tissues and cells. At my last year of PhD, I was selected for a scholarship in the United States, where I am currently in and as an international student coming from a country with limited resources, I learned to overcome technical challenges with creativity in this area and approach the analysis of my results critically, while also recognizing the value and significance of our research efforts. Senescence is a broad field with great opportunities, if you believe in the importance of your work and truly appreciate the effort that you invest in your research. It was very enriching to work on this area so far.

What did ICSA sponsorship represent to you?

As a researcher coming from a country with limited resources for research and underrepresented in academia it’s difficult overcome the distance obstacles to afford an international ticket and attend a conference in person since we are far away from Europe or North America, flight tickets are expensive and founding for research is scarce. In this context, ICSA sponsorship was a unique opportunity to provide for us international researchers in-person contact with students for different countries, make connections/networking and acquire unique knowledge from listening experts in the field. I hope this program continues and I will continue attending ICSA meetings!

Is there any other comment or detail you would like to share?
This is a serious association in its commitment to research on senescence and is essential for anyone who wants to become an independent researcher in this area with a welcoming environment for discussions in the purest form that science can be to improve knowledge! I highly recommend that junior professors join ICSA if possible and encourage their students to participate in yICSA. This experience has been great so far and I really hope this community continues to grow!

03 - From Massachusetts, USA

Kristopher Holloway

PhD Candidate.

Recipient of the yICSA DEI Travel Award to attend the ICSA2023 Conference in Minneapolis, USA.

What is your current research focus?
As a Ph.D. candidate in the Hong Zhang laboratory at UMass Chan Medical School, my current research focuses on studying the role of p16Ink4a and cellular senescence in Alzheimer's Disease pathogenesis using induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons. I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to present my research at the 2023 ICSA Meeting as an ICSA Diversity Travel Award Beneficiary.

Could you describe your career journey thus far?
I believe that my collaborative, research-focused training in cellular senescence as a Ph.D. candidate at UMass Chan Medical School has fueled my passion for advancing discoveries in the treatment and prevention of age-associated diseases. The experiences from my graduate studies and the ICSA have inspired my long-term goal of becoming a scientist capable of performing translational discovery research in anti-aging medicine.

What did ICSA sponsorship represent to you?
The ICSA sponsorship presented an exceptional opportunity for me to attend ICSA’s annual meeting for the first time. At the 2023 ICSA meeting, I can present my research and learn from prestigious, well-renowned leaders in the cellular senescence field. Ultimately, the ICSA sponsorship is an extending testament to ICSA’s dedication to embracing diversity and excellence motivating me as a first-generation African-American graduate student.

Is there any other comment or detail you would like to share?
I highly recommend students and post-docs stay connected with ICSA and yICSA. I can confidently say that these communities provide invaluable opportunities for networking, learning, and guidance in your career pursuits.

02 - From Indonesia

Dr Agian Jeffilano Barinda

"I am currently studying the clinical pharmacology residency program at the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia and working as a Lecturer in the same department as well. [...]

What are you working on?
"I am currently studying the clinical pharmacology residency program at the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia and working as a Lecturer in the same department as well. I am also trying to establish the Cellular Senescence Research Centre, which mainly focuses on drug discovery in longevity medicine in Metabolic Cardiovascular, and Aging (MVA) Cluster, Indonesia Medical Education and Research Institute (IMERI) at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia.

I got a PhD from Kobe University, Japan, under the supervision of Professor Kenichi Hirata and followed with Post Doctoral Fellowship at Kobe Pharmaceutical University, Japan, under the supervision of Professor Noriaki Emoto. During my living in Japan, I studied the pathological role of senescent Endothelial Cell-mediated Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASP) in metabolic disorders in the cell culture study and in vivo study by generating an EC-Specific progeroid mice model."

What has your career path been?
"My long-term goal is to become a physician-scientist that has huge capability to perform translational research in longevity medicine, including senolytics, that starts with basic research to investigate the drug candidate in a preclinical setting, elucidate the molecular mechanism at the molecular/cellular level, and then validate these drug candidates in the clinical setting."

What is your current role like? What about it makes you want to get up in the morning?
"Being a physician-scientist that mainly focuses on senescence research is relatively new in my country (Indonesia) and somewhat challenging. Most of the researchers in my country are not familiar with senescence research. Therefore, I feel responsible for introducing these fields, particularly longevity medicine, in my country.

To make my dream happen, after completing my PhD and Post-Doc, I continue to study clinical pharmacology to understand how to perform clinical trials of the novel anti-senescence drug. Also, to enhance my basic science experience, I almost did a short course in Prof. Masashi Narita's lab at the end of 2022 to elucidate vascular aging in cancer. However, I need to cancel my plan due to the COVID-19 situation. In the future, I would like to apply for the Post-Doctoral Fellowship after finishing my Clinical Pharmacology Specialist to gain an advanced experience in the next level of senescence research."

What would you like to do after your current role?
"I would like to build a drug discovery lab investigating the novel senolytic for cellular senescence. Recently, I am identifying a novel senolytic herb that originally found in Indonesia. To further support my research, I join Asian Pacific Grants for Innovative Research Plan at the Japanese Circulation Society 2023, Fukuoka, Japan. Thankfully, I won the competition and got this grant."

Are there any expectations you had about this career path that you have found differed from reality, in both a good or bad way?

"As I mentioned before, the senescence study is not familiar in Indonesia. Thus, it makes me difficult to discuss or collaboration research in my country. Fortunately, the ICSA community could become an excellent answer to overcome my issue."

What skills are the most crucial to succeeding in this career?

"Empowering the basic and clinical skills is essential for becoming a translational researcher that studies cellular senescence from "the bench" to "the bedside". Additionally, communication skill is indeed important to build good collaboration in the senescence area."

What is the best bit of advice you have for someone looking to move into this area?

01 - From Argentina

Florencia L. Herbstein

"I’m an Argentinian Ph.D. student who’s currently working on cellular senescence and cancer at Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA), a partner Institute of the Max Planck Society for the last four years supported by a national scholarship from CONICET under the direction of Dr. Eduardo Arzt. I’m also part of the teaching staff at the School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, the University of Buenos Aires and I’ve given human physiology lessons for the last 8 years."

What are you working on?
"I study the molecular mechanisms that explain why pituitary tumors are senescent focusing on interleukin-6 (IL-6) signaling.
How I joined yICSA I was following ICSA since I started my Ph.D. When the 2020 meeting in Japan turned out to be a hybrid conference with the possibility to attend virtually, I was very excited that I could join and see worldwide work in the senescence field. The virtual conference in Japan gave me the chance to see, take part and keep posted on the new findings in the field as well when I attended the yICSA’s (young ICSA) special seminar with their invited speaker and I became aware that they were recruiting for several positions on the yICSA committee.

Joining yICSA was and still is an exceptional and multicultural experience that allows me to virtually interact with peers from almost all over the world."

What dis ICSA sponsorship represent to you?
"Thanks to ICSA’s support I have the exceptional chance to attend ICSA’s annual conference in person in The Netherlands. This is the first time I’ll be attending a scientific meeting outside Argentina and consequently that I’ll be able to present my results and meet an international community that works on cellular senescence. It does not just represent the chance to be among the most prestigious academic society in the field but will let me take part in in-person talks and debates.
This is a very motivating opportunity that certainly will be a breakthrough in my career and make a difference as a young Latin American scientist which is why I’m deeply grateful to ICSA’s community."

What are the challenges you feel you face as a PhD student in Argentina?
"Since we are far away from Europe/North America, plane tickers are expensive so it’s difficult to attend international conferences or have in-person contact with students from all over the world."

Do you have any recommendations or advice to students that may not have the financial means to support a trip to an international conference?
"I’d stay to keep updated with virtual seminars or conferences that are usually announced on social networks. I’d also look for travel fellowships and sponsor in different scientific associations."

What was the experience of attending the ICSA meeting like for you? What was the most valuable/important aspect of having been able to attend the in-person meeting (as compared to the virtual one)?

"Undoubtedly, the chance to speak with peers from overseas was one of the most valuable experiences. Also, the opportunity to hear the feedback of my work from the top scientists on the field was very constructive for me. Moreover, the chance to approach in-person to scientists whose work I’m interested in, was more beneficial than reaching them via email."

Video credits: Biomedicine Research Institute of Buenos Aires (IBioBA)- Press and multimedia