This summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to work in Dr. Cooke’s cardiovascular regeneration lab on projects focused on the potential of circular RNA telomerase in reversing vascular aging in Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) mouse models. 

HGPS is a disease affecting children, and causes the blood vessels to age much faster than normal, leading to heart attack and stroke and frequently causing mortality by the age of fifteen. We are looking at ways to reverse this vascular aging in individuals with HGPS and other age-related cardiovascular conditions by leveraging telomerase. This summer’s project focused on the efficacy of circular RNA telomerase (circTERT) in reversing hallmarks of aging in endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells and sought to determine the cell type most pivotal to vascular aging and recovery. Determination of these factors and effectiveness of this treatment could mean improved healthspan and lifespan for individuals suffering from HGPS and other age-related cardiovascular diseases