Background
Oliver graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2020 with a first class BSc Hons in Biotechnology. Shortly after graduation he obtained a role as a research assistant in the Regenerative Biomaterials group for the RAFT Institute (London, UK) which focuses on tissue regeneration through biomaterial use.
Oliver worked on two major investigations in this role for a year; keloid and breast regeneration projects. His work on the breast project entailed a pre-clinical trial where mammalian stem cell culture was used to isolate and inject autologous cells from sheep. Developing and manufacturing of 3-D biomaterials followed by their characterisation and numerous data analysis was a significant set of skills developed there. Thanks to the group and institution he has one paper as co-author published and one as lead author, currently in revision.
His research is a collaborative project between Loughborough University and SENS Research Foundation (Mountain View, USA) in regenerative medicine. It involves focusing on combating ageing through testing the synergistic effects of senolytics and a stem cell transfer in a mice model. The aim and motivation of this project is to extend lifespan by targeting the accumulation of damage caused by ageing (senescent cells). When the extension of lifespan is mentioned, controversy often follows, which is why the its important to address that there is no difference between ageing and ageing diseases. It is this accumulation of damage as a result of ageing that leads to ageing diseases such as Parkinson’s or several cancers. Simply put, you cannot have one without the other, which is why this project is necessary to extend health and lifespan while advancing our understanding of ageing.