PhD defence: Stig Henrik Andersen

On Monday 21 September at 13:00, Stig Henrik Andersen defends his PhD dissertation entitled “Mapping niche dynamics at single-cell resolution to boost the regenerative potential of aged skeletal muscle”.

Skeletal muscle has a remarkable ability to repair itself after injury. This process is primarily driven by muscle stem cells, but successful regeneration also depends on the immune system, which creates an environment that supports repair. With age, this regenerative capacity declines, leading to impaired recovery following muscle injury.

The overall aim of the PhD project was to investigate how aging changes the immune response during muscle regeneration. Using advanced single-cell technologies that allow individual cells to be studied in detail, the project mapped changes in immune cells within regenerating muscle.

The results revealed substantial changes in the immune response of aged muscle, including prolonged inflammation and an accumulation of CD8⁺ T cells. Interestingly, temporarily removing CD8⁺ T cells from aged mice improved muscle function following injury and partly restored characteristics of a more youthful regenerative response. These findings suggest that changes in the immune system contribute to impaired muscle regeneration with age and identify immune cells as potential targets for improving muscle repair.

The summary is written by the PhD student.

The defence is public and takes place Store Anatomisk Auditorium, building 1232, Aarhus University. Please see the press release for more information. 

Contact

PhD student Stig Henrik Andersen
Mail: sha@biomed.au.dk 
Phone: +45-22644111

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