Name: George A. Garinis

My Area of Interest: Functional Genomics of Aging

My Favourite Quote: “Add life into years, not years into life”

I am a: Senior Scientist at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology-FORTH

Short Profile:

Question and Answers :

What are your future goals? Where do you see your research going?:
Our lab aims to use tissue-specific mouse models of accelerated aging and naturally aged mice as an experimentally tractable system to delineate the responses to DNA damage that are most pertinent to segmental progeria and natural aging as well as to identify the natural defense mechanisms that attempt to counteract age-related pathology and prolong lifespan. Investigating a complex process such that of aging, our lab undertakes a systems biology point of view, that is an integration rather than a reduction approach.

Technologies seem to changing faster than ever, how do you adapt to that? What are the current technologies you are using?:
The lab is currently using full genome-wide expression technologies to scan the transcriptome of progeroid and naturally aged mouse models. Following the recent advances in the genomics field, the lab will soon embark on the application of massive parallel sequencing (RNA tags, ChIP-Sequencing e.t.c.). In parallel, we are constantly adapting to the ever-changing technologies concerning a wide range of (bio)informatics applications allowing to extract the maximum possible information from the enormous amount of data generated in our lab.

In the broader picture, where do you see the application for your cutting-edge research?:
The continuous increase of average life span in developed societies is accompanied by the severe loss of quality of life that constitutes a major burden to our health care system. To monitor aging and design rationalized interventions against age-associated pathologies; fundamental knowledge of the aging process is needed. The Garinis laboratory explores the mouse as a mammalian model to study natural as well as accelerated aging. A comprehensive series of mouse mutants harboring effects in various DNA repair pathways have been generated many of which show premature onset of age-related pathologies. Our aim is to obtain a systems-biological view on aging, thereby unraveling the complex molecular mechanisms associated with advanced age. The originality and novelty of this proposal lies in the concept of using progeroid and naturally aged mice as an
experimentally tractable system to test whether DNA damage is a major contributing factor to progeria and natural aging. This study is likely to provide a pioneering groundwork into the basic mechanisms of pathology associated with segmental progeria and normal aging, including insights into the natural defence systems that promote longevity. It will also provide gene targets for further study, including badly needed markers for age-related degenerative processes that could be directly applicable to rationalized drug development and anti-aging
therapeutic approaches.

Fast forward to 2020. What’s your vision of Genomics in 2020?:
Long are the days when the promises of genomics were theoretical and far away. Today, functional genomics is becoming a reality providing insight into the basic principles of life and as a result enables the development of products processes and technologies that can improve prosperity. The Garinis lab envisions a post-genome era in medicine that will concentrate on treating causes rather than symptoms and will be personalized and proactive. In this respect, functional genomics can give us in the years to come the tools to design a “precision healthcare” policy finely tuned to each patient phenotype and genotype.