During the coronavirus pandemic, we are teaching the course online. Student and staff safety is our number one priority. We will not open until we are sure it is safe to do so and all the necessary measures, checks and requirements are in place.  

Online Summer School

Save the Date : June 16-17-18, 2021 

Duration 9 hours spread in 3 afternoons 

• Wednesday june 16 afternoon from 4 pm to 7.30 pm
• Thursday june 17 afternoon from 4 pm to 7.30 pm
• Friday june 18 afternoon from 4 pm to 7.30 pm

Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures localized at vertebrate chromosome ends. With age, in replicating somatic cells, telomeres display progressive shortening leading cells to acquire critically short and dysfunctional telomeres triggering replicative senescence or apoptosis.

Short telomere length (TL) limits the replicative potential of stem cells in high-turnover tissues and is linked with higher senescence. In humans, short leukocyte TL (LTL) is associated with decreased longevity, and several age-related degenerative diseases.

The impact of TL dynamics (TL at birth and lifelong attrition) is presently at the center of many fundamental and clinical studies but also of very exciting debates.

The aim of this Summer School is to present the current knowledge on the connection between biological, clinical and epidemiological aspects of TL dynamics.

The potential role of TL dynamics in the COVID-19 pandemics will be discussed. 

Mains Topics 

- Molecular structure of telomeres and link with replicative senescence

- Telomere (length) research in animal models

- Genetic and epigenetic determinants of TL

- Telomeres, telomerase and cancer

- Degenerative age-related decease and TL

- The Nexus between Telomere Length and Lymphocyte Count during Covid-19

- How to develop a fundamental and/or clinical study to assess the relations between a factor and telomere dynamics ? 

- Is there presently a place for TL measurements in clinics? Medical and ethical issues

- Prevention of TL attrition and TL elongation: Reality or dream?

This Summer School is partially funded by LUE, a program of Investments for the Future Program (PIA 2) within the project IMPACT GEENAGE (http://lue.univ-lorraine.fr/en)