AREAS OF SPECIALTY:

• Epigenetics of Ageing

• Age-related transcriptional changes

• Skin ageing

Ken Raj, PhD

Ken is a principal investigator in Altos Labs Cambridge Institute of Science. He carried out his doctoral work in cancer virology in the University of Cambridge, before moving to the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research to continue his research in human papillomavirus, and expanded his investigations to adeno-associated virus and cellular response to DNA damage. He went on to establish his own lab at the National Institute for Medical Research, London (Medical Research Council, UK) before moving on to become a senior scientific group leader and head of cellular biology in Public Health England where he investigated and uncovered the underlying mechanisms that mediate radiation-induced cardiovascular disease. This mechanism that involved acceleration of the ageing process led him to his current position as principal investigator in Altos Labs, where he investigates another aspect of ageing (epigenetic ageing) with the aim of uncovering the causes that underpin epigenetic changes that accompany ageing, and why and how these changes contribute to the loss of resilience and health, which characterises the ageing process. He developed human cell ageing assays based on epigenetic clocks, which he uses to elucidate common denominators that link the different hallmarks of ageing and explores the mechanism underlying the ticking of the epigenetic clock and employs these assays to identify potential interventions.