Defying gravity: musculoskeletal aging models in space

What happens to our muscles on a cellular level as we age? Anne McArdle, Professor of Musculoskeletal Aging at the University of Liverpool (UK), is fascinated by this question, dedicating her research to understanding how muscular systems become dysfunctional, specifically in aging. To investigate muscular aging in an accelerated capacity, Anne and her colleagues utilize a microgravity model, which involves sending muscle cells to the International Space Station (ISS). At ELRIG Drug Discovery 2024 (2–3 October; London, UK), Anne presented some of her microgravitational muscle research, and we got a chance to catch up with her at the event to...