Dr Jan Van Deursen has made breakthroughs in the field of cellular senescence. The accumulation of senescent cells in our bodies is linked to ageing. After discovering the benefits of eliminating these cells, he co-founded Unity Biotechnology, a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company that targets the removal of senescent cells. Unity Biotechnology is currently in the process of conducting clinical trials on its senescent cell treatment for osteoarthritis.
Van Deursen is an internationally-renowned scientist who discovered a key cause of ageing and developed an innovative way to treat it. Van Deursen studied stem cell editing in the Netherlands before moving to the U.S. to work for the Mayo Clinic. While at the Mayo Clinic, he made a breakthrough discovery in the field of ageing. This discovery will help scientists improve treatments for age-related diseases. However, there are still many questions surrounding his work.
Upon earning his PhD in cell biology from the University of Nijmegen, Van Deursen joined St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Later, he established a curiosity-driven research program at the Mayo Clinic, where he served as its director of the transgenic and gene knockout core facility. He also served an eight-year term as chair of the department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Mayo Clinic.
Jan Van Deursen is an internationally recognized expert in ageing and cancer. He has several publications in leading scientific journals and is the director of a mouse gene knockout core facility at the Mayo Clinic. The Mayo Clinic has many other excellent institutions to choose from. So, if you are looking for a top scientist to join the faculty, Jan Van Deursen is the right person to approach.
Growing up, Jan Van Deursen helped his father, a carpenter, with his research. He would eventually become a respected scientist and receive numerous awards. But his childhood was far from perfect. His mother developed pulmonary fibrosis when he was a child. Sadly, she passed away during his senior year of high school. This tragic event ignited a debate about whether he should pursue a career in the construction industry or focus on his family and friends.
In 1999, Dr Van Deursen accepted a position at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He was recruited to Mayo Clinic by Dr Bill Crist and Dr Rick Bram, the then chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Mayo Clinic. Dr Crist, who had recruited Dr Van Deursen to the clinic, encouraged him to join his group. With his newfound freedom, Dr Childs is now studying ageing and senescent cells and how they affect the body.
Jan Van Deursen is a prominent biochemist and mentor. He is responsible for filling five of six tenure-track positions at Mayo Clinic. He also improved mentoring programs and institutional support for non-tenure-track faculty. During his tenure, his research lab remained diverse. By fostering a climate of inclusion and mentorship, Jan Van Deursen has cultivated a pipeline of talented young researchers.
Dr Van Deursen applied the technologies developed to cancer research using a genetically modified mouse strain. The gene BubR1 ensures faithful chromosome segregation and has been causally linked to cancer, progeria, and ageing. With his PhD in Cell Biology, he has applied these technologies to cancer research. While the process did not eliminate all of the senescent cells in mice, it eliminated a significant percentage.
The Mayo Clinic’s Center for Biomedical Discovery is a student-centred graduate school. The Mayo Clinic matched the right student with the right mentor, and Dr. van Deursen has been credited with a breakthrough in cell ageing. The senescent cells accumulate in the body as we age and fail to die. In addition to his Nobel Prize, Dr Van Deursen’s lab was awarded millions of dollars in National Institutes of Health grants.
