Speaker: James DeGregori, PhD
Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics
Courtenay C. and Lucy Patten Davis Endowed Chair in Lung Cancer Research
Deputy Director, University of Colorado Cancer Center
University of Colorado Anschutz
USA
Presentation
Organizer: IRB BioMed Seminars
Date: Tuesday, 28 October 2025, 12:00h
Place: Fèlix Serratosa, PCB
Host: Prof. Núria López- Bigas, Group Leader - Biomedical Genomics Laboratory - Cancer Science Programme - IRB Barcelona.
Old age is associated with substantial increases in the risks of various diseases and death, driven by the decline in tissues (the soma). In line with the Disposable Soma Theory, somatic decline is driven by the waning of the influence of natural selection to maintain tissues at ages where reproduction has been unlikely. Moreover, our lifestyles (e.g. activity, diet) and exposures
(e.g. pollution, smoking, infections) can substantially influence tissue health, disease risk and lifespan. I will present two vignettes. First, we will discuss how aging differentially alters selection for different mutations associated with clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) within hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell pools, with exploration of underlying mechanisms. Second, I will present our discovery that respiratory virus infections (COVID-19 and influenza) can promote the awakening of dormant cancer cells in the lungs, and the roles of interleukin-6 and immune suppression in this process. Finally, these experimental and epidemiological results will be bookended with theoretical musings for how aging and life experiences influence the magnitude and directionality of somatic evolution, with consequent impacts on tissue health and disease risks.
IMPORTANT: For attendees outside the PCB community you must register at least 24h before the seminar.
The weekly seminars at IRB Barcelona are scientific events primarily addressed to the Institute’s research community and professionals in the biomedical field. Attendance is intended exclusively for individuals with a genuine and justified scientific interest in the seminar content. Registration should not be used to request supporting documents for visa or immigration purposes. For participants residing outside Spain, in-person attendance requires a formal invitation issued by an IRB Barcelona research group or department. Without such an invitation, access to the institute cannot be guaranteed. IRB Barcelona reserves the right to review and verify all seminar registrations.