SCIENTISTS from the Rowett Institute at the University of Aberdeen and their counterparts from the University of Picardie, in Amiens, France, are to share a European Commission grant of €860,000 (£760,700) to investigate the impact of ageing on the breakdown of zinc and copper in human bodies.
The award has been made under the Horizon 2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE), a scheme that provide grants for researchers to develop their careers.
Researchers say increased longevity with a high quality of life is desirable, not only for personal life-satisfaction, but also for reducing healthcare costs and increasing the socioeconomic contributions of people in countries with ageing population demographics.
Zinc and copper are two essential nutrients in our food which work together and separately to regulate the function of thousands of different proteins in our bodies.
Copper is necessary for the formation of blood vessels, a strong heart and for stabilising collagen; while zinc deficiency usually follows genetic disorders and can lead to – amongst other conditions – impaired healing, diminished sense of taste and behavioural disturbances.
Professors John Beattie and Irina Korichneva will lead the four-year RISE scheme, which also involves partners from the Ukraine, Chile and the University of the West Indies.
They will examine how ageing affects body absorption and metabolising of zinc and copper at a cellular level.
Beattie said: “It is fantastic to have received this grant which will allow us to work with teams from within Europe and beyond.
“There have recently been big advances in understanding how zinc and copper absorption and metabolism are controlled within body cells and we want to examine how ageing can change this and how to protect against these changes.
“We hope to be able to give better advice for adequate zinc and copper nutrition in the elderly and improve their health and longevity,” Beattie added.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here