Dear SENESCENCE2030 Members and Colleagues,
A warm welcome to our second newsletter! We’re delighted to share with you all the latest updates from across the network, upcoming activities announcements and key information.
With members from 48 different countries we’re always interested to hear about any activities that you have been involved in that support the Senescence2030 Objectives. So, please reach out if you would like to be included in a future Newsletter!
In this Issue
Past activities | Brief highlights of collaborative outputs and recent meetings, workshops and.
Coming up in 2026 | Our next conference, workshop and training school, and future events.
Contacts | Get in touch!
Publications from the Action in 2025
With over 420 members from 48 countries, here are some of the publications from the Action in 2025. Unifying theme | Cellular senescence as a central, cross-cutting mechanism linking ageing, disease progression, and therapeutic intervention.
Tell us about your publications!
Past Activities
In this Newsletter, we are delighted to share the experiences of some of the awardees of our Mobility Grants from 2025.
About SENESCENCE2030 Mobility Grants
SENESCENCE2030 has two funding opportunities to promote knowledge exchange, skill development, and collaboration among researchers targeting cell senescence and age-related diseases.
Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) | in-person research visits providing researchers, especially Young Researchers under 40, with opportunities to gain techniques or experience not available at their home institution.
Virtual Mobility (VM) Grants | virtual collaborations to exchange knowledge, learn new techniques, and contribute to the Action’s scientific objectives. VM activities are flexible, inclusive, and aim to foster interdisciplinary networking and career development, with outcomes such as publications or funded projects enhancing COST Action visibility.
So far, SENESCENCE2030 has funded 10 mobility grants (9 STMSs and 1 VM) and supported conference participation for 2 YRIs (Young Researchers and Innovators), 2 ITC members (Inclusiveness Target Countries), and 2 DC grants (Dissemination Conferences) during the first Grant Period (2024–2025).
STSM Awardee | Dr Luca Pangrazzi
Dr Luca Pangrazzi, Postdoctoral Research, Institute for Biomedical Aging Research, University of Innsbruck (Austria)
STSM Host | Dr. Francesco Nicoli, University of Ferrara, Italy
When | 3-14 March 2025
During this period, I received hands-on training in the SCENITH protocol, enabling single-cell metabolic profiling of immune cell populations, including senescent subsets.
In addition, I discussed complementary methods for assessing metabolic features of senescent immune cells, including mitochondrial function, reactive oxygen species, fatty acid uptake, and lipid accumulation, in both human and mouse samples. All experimental trials were successfully completed, allowing quantification of glucose and mitochondrial dependency, glycolytic capacity, and fatty acid and amino acid oxidation.
This training significantly enhanced my technical expertise and enabled implementation of SCENITH in my home laboratory. It also strengthened scientific collaborations, contributed to securing a competitive grant, and is expected to support one or more manuscripts currently in preparation.
STSM Awardee | Dr Rosa Spinelli
Dr Rosa Spinelli, Assistant Professor, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Italy
STSM Host | Lundberg Laboratory for Diabetes Research, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
When | 15-29 March 2025
During my STSM, I investigated whether hepatocyte senescence—beyond its established role in liver pathology—contributes to systemic dysfunction in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), now recognized as a multi-organ disorder. While senescence-driven inter-organ effects have been demonstrated in acute liver injury, their relevance in chronic disease remains unclear.
I focused on the RNA-binding protein ZMAT3 as an upstream regulator of hepatocyte senescence in MASLD, using a hepatocyte-specific Zmat3-overexpression mouse model to isolate senescence as a primary event and assess its systemic impact. This work generated a multi-tissue transcriptomic dataset across liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and spleen.
The dataset provides a basis for identifying circulating mediators of senescence propagation and to dissect inter-organ communication, while capturing the tissue- and cell-specific heterogeneity of senescence. This STSM also strengthened collaboration within the SENESCENCE2030 network.
VM Awardee | Dr Zuhal Tunçbilek
Dr Zuhal Tunçbilek, Assistant Professor, Sivas Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi, Turkey
Virtual Mentor | Dr. Ayça Taş, PhD in Medical Biochemistry, Associate Professor, Sivas Cumhuriyet University
When | 16 May – 27 June 2025
This VM achieved its main objective of exploring the dual roles of senescent cells in cancer biology. We identified key senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors, immune modulators, and signalling pathways—including p53, NF-κB, and mTOR—highlighting their roles in balancing tumour-suppressive and tumour-promoting effects across diverse tumour microenvironments.
A detailed molecular analysis further emphasised the context-dependent pro- and anti-tumorigenic functions of senescent cells. By synthesising recent literature, the work established a clearer conceptual framework linking senescence biology to therapeutic strategies, while identifying knowledge gaps and proposing evidence-based targets for intervention. A major outcome is a draft mini-review article currently being refined for journal submission.
Coming up in 2026
Breaking News | Cellular Senescence in metabolic multimorbidities: From mechanism to clinical translation | 8-9 September 2026 | Royal Continental Hotel, Naples, Italy
Mark your calendars! In 2026, SENESCENCE2030 is organising another meeting in Naples.
The programme is currently being arranged. Stay tuned for more information.
Conference, Workshop, and Training School | University of Coimbra, Portugal | 19-22 May 2026
We will welcome >80 in person participants to this Conference and Workship in May. And we would like to extend our congratulations to the 17 Early Career Researchers who were selected to attend the Training School!
Conference Grants |Conference support will be available across three calls
Call window | Total available Budget | Grants | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
Apr – Jun 2026 | €11,000 | 2YRI | 2 ITC | 1 DC | 2nd Trimester |
Jul – Sep 2026 | €5,000 | 1 YRI | 0 ITC | 1 DC | 3rd Trimester |
(YRI = Young Researchers and Innovators; ITC = Inclusiveness Target Countries; DC = Dissemination Conferences)
Dissemination Grants | €2,000 available for project-related outreach activities.
Contacts
Follow us on social media and check your emails for application details and deadlines to secure your opportunity for training and collaboration.
Stay connected with our latest updates by following us on LinkedIn and Bluesky. Join our community to stay informed about research highlights, project milestones, and new opportunities to engage with our work.
For inquiries feel free to reach us directly at info@senescence2030.eu.