Professor Joao Pedro Magalhaes

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham

Scientific Background

Research Interests

Ageing has a profound impact on human society and modern medicine, yet it remains a major puzzle of biology. The goal of my work is to help understand the genetic, cellular, and molecular mechanisms of ageing. In the long term, I would like my work to help ameliorate age-related diseases and preserve health. No other biomedical field has so much potential to improve human health as research on the basic mechanisms of ageing.

Research Groups

Genomics of Ageing and Rejuvenation (Rejuvenomics) Lab

Supervision Style

In three words or phrases: Laid-back, goal-driven, collaborative.

Provision of Training

Our lab is highly interdisciplinary combining experimental work with computational approaches. Your training will be provided by myself and experienced bioinformaticians/post docs/PhD students. There will also be the opportunity to attend training courses in complementary areas.

Progression Monitoring and Management

My general policy is for students to be responsible for their own project. I and other people in the lab will help you learn the necessary techniques. And I will provide advice and guidance to help you reach the goals you set for yourself.

Communication

Our lab has a Slack channel with which we regularly communicate during the week and weekends. Whilst I expect you to keep up with our lab communications, I will expect you to manage your work/life balance. I am happy to discuss any issues that are impacting your ability to fulfil your potential or our expectations.

PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me:

In a group meeting

At least once a week

In year 1 of PhD study

At least once a fortnight

In year 2 of PhD study

At least once a fortnight

In year 3 of PhD study

At least once a month

These meetings will be a mixture of face to face or via video chat or telephone, and I am usually contactable for an instant response (if required) every working day.

Working Patterns

The timing of work in my lab is completely flexible, and (other than attending pre-arranged meetings), I expect students to manage their own time.

Notice Period for Feedback

I need at least 1 week’s notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5000 words.

MIBTP Project Details

Primary supervisor for:

Developing and applying computational methods to study ageing and cellular rejuvenation

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Developing and applying computational methods to study ageing and cellular rejuvenation

Secondary Supervisor(s): Professor Simon Jones

University of Registration: University of Birmingham

BBSRC Research Themes:

Integrated Understanding of Health (Ageing)

Project Outline

Ageing is the chief biomedical challenge of the 21st century, yet it remains a major puzzle of biology. Recent studies have shown that cells can be rejuvenated, and biological clocks reset, using cellular reprogramming. A growing number of companies now aim to use cellular reprogramming to develop therapies for age-related diseases. These observations also raise important questions that challenge our current unidirectional view of the aging process. And if cells can be rejuvenated, could this open the door for rejuvenating organisms?

Our group is developing and applying computational and experimental methods to help decipher ageing, longevity, and rejuvenation. In this project, we are looking for an enthusiastic and ambitious student to develop and apply state-of-the-art machine learning methods and computational models at the interface of biology, mathematics, and computer science. Although cellular rejuvenation is an exciting topic, its mechanisms and pathways remain poorly understand. Moreover, the biological mechanisms behind biological clocks, like epigenetic clocks, remain unknown. We are integrating multiple types of data and developing gene networks to deepen our knowledge of cellular rejuvenation and identify new candidate genes for experimental validation. The exact direction of this project, however, will be adapted to fit the research interests of the student.

Though this project is primarily computational, our lab also has wet lab facilities and thus it is possible to experimentally validate computational predictions emerging from this project.

References:

de Magalhães JP (2024) “Distinguishing between driver and passenger mechanisms of aging.” Nature Genetics 56:204-211.

Avelar RA et al. (2020) "A multidimensional systems biology analysis of cellular senescence in ageing and disease." Genome Biology 21:91.

Ocampo, A. et al. (2016) “In Vivo Amelioration of Age-Associated Hallmarks by Partial Reprogramming.” Cell 167:1719-1733.

APPLY HERE

Co-supervisor on a project with Dr Niharika Duggal.