Investigating molecular mechanisms of Healthy aging
Basic research and systems-level approaches to discover drugs and develop novel strategies to treat age-related pathologies.
Our Mission
Our aim is to determine the molecular mechanism(s) that prolong health during aging, using the nematode C. elegans, in order to develop novel strategies to treat age-related pathologies.
Global Challenge
Age-dependent diseases
By 2030 almost every fourth person will be 65 or older in Switzerland, Europe, and USA. Since old age is the main risk factor for developing cancer, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases, as well as other age-related pathologies, the growing elderly population poses an immense social and financial challenge. [read more] [pdf]
Strategic Goal
To identify novel strategies to improve human healthspan.
Using C. elegans as a pioneering system to model the aging process because of its ease for genetic manipulation, high evolutionary conservation of genes implicated in human diseases, and short lifespan (3 weeks). Importantly, using C. elegans lifespan assays as a read-out for extension of healthspan is a tractable and fast approach for discovering novel mechanisms that confer healthy aging. Several fundamental mechanisms discovered in C. elegans have been shown to delay age-related pathologies in higher organisms, such as mice, and these mechanisms have major implications for humans aging. Hence, by using C. elegans to model the aging process we could rapidly identify strategies to improve human healthspan.
Research
Currently, the lab focuses on exploring a novel and exciting mechanism that promotes healthy aging.
Our recent work has shown that many health- and longevity-promoting interventions re-activate the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) genes during aging (Ewald et al., Nature 2015, PMID:25517099). This ECM enhancement is required and sufficient for extending the lifespan of C. elegans. Our research efforts are focusing on exploring the mechanism(s) of how prolonged ECM homeostasis promotes healthy aging. [read more] [pdf]
Our core competencies are:
Our technical expertise with using the model organism C. elegans are:
Ziel der Forschungsgruppe
Lay summary in German
Wir alle werden älter und mit jedem zusätzlichen Jahr steigt das Risiko für den
Ausbruch einer altersbedingten Krankheit wie Krebs, Diabetes, Alzheimer oder
Herzkreislaufprobleme. [weiter lesen] [pdf]
Kapitelauszug über unsere Forschung geschrieben von Alejandra Garcia Lanz (Schülerin der Gewerblich-Industrielle Berufsschule Bern; Vertiefungsarbeit ABU, 7.3.2019)
[Gestern, heute und morgen - Langlebigkeit.pdf]
Wenn Sie mehr wissen wollen, meine Einführungsvorlesung an der ETH Zürich gibt eine gute Übersicht über unsere Forschung.
Videolink zur Einführungsvorlesung
Auf den Link klicken und die Vorlesung: "Molekulare Mechanismen des gesunden Alterns (Collin Ewald)" kommen.
News Media
Recent Interviews
«Covidisierung» der Forschung verzögert andere Projekte: Echo der Zeit @SRF2 10.01.2021
https://www.srf.ch/play/radio/popupaudioplayer?id=b75fdf5c-8108-4966-8047-cd0e651e0830
Full: https://www.srf.ch/audio/echo-der-zeit/schicksalstage-fuer-italiens-regierung?id=11911208
Gesundes Altern - Fit wie Joe Biden
Danke für den schön geschrieben Artikel von Alexandra Bröhm @sonntagszeitung und das Interview mit mir über #Gesund ins hohe #Alter- wie Joe Biden. #healthy #aging #extrazelluläreMatrix #ewaldlab @ETH.
https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/fit-wie-joe-biden-wie-bleibt-man-im-alter-lange-gesund-704858203320
Altersforschung und Anti-Aging Interview mit Prof. Dr. Collin Ewald
Ein Altersforscher in Zürich erprobt am Fadenwurm, welche Gene unsere Zellen altern lassen und was Anti-Aging-Medikamente bewirken.
BR Fernsehen Gut zu wissen | Wissensmagazin. 21.03.2020, 19:00 Uhr.
Fast-forward to minute 21.
(Also broadcasted by Arte, Wissenschaft, Xenius: Alternsforschung. Our part after 3 min: https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/092139-033-A/xenius-altersforschung/)
Superhighway Of Our Cells: Extracellular Matrix with Prof. Collin Ewald- Ira Pastor, ideaXme longevity and aging ambassador and Founder of Bioquark, interviews Prof. Dr. Collin Ewald, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, at ETH Zurich (The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich), Founder of Swiss Society for Aging Research and Vice President Swiss Society for Matrix Biology.
https://radioideaxme.com/2019/09/10/dr-collin-ewald-ecm/
Dem Alter auf der Spur: Jung bleiben bis ins hohe Alter: Das sagt die Forschung - SRF Kultur
«Warum altern wir? @sciencezoe sprach mit ETH-Forscher @CollinEwald, der dieses Rätsel mit Hilfe winziger Würmer lösen will.
Alumni Spotlight Graduate Center of the City University of New York
Time: As long as you live. TVB News (Hong Kong)
See starting after 1:34 and 2:28. #EwaldLab
http://news.tvb.com/programmes/aslongasyouliveii/5becbeb3e60383c70be8f5c9
Who is Who in Medical Research: A compendium of Hochschulmedizin Zurich (1st edition 2017) compiles all the information of nearly 200 research groups at the level of professorships relevant for collaboration in the medical field.
Welcome to the (Extracellular) Matrix: An interview with Dr. Collin Ewald - Geroscience
Ep. 3 - Prof. Collin Ewald talks getting old and feeling young - Part 1 | Simplifyd
Ep. 3 - Prof. Collin Ewald talks the cost of Alzheimer's and "mega cancer"- Part 2 | Simplifyd
An almost forgotten pioneer - UNI NOVA
Social Media
ETH/EPFL Influencer World Ranking
https://ranking.influencer.world/en/set/eth-epfl
Collin Ewald (@CollinEwald) (Ranked 16th, 30.09.20)
TV highlights
TV Reports
#Alternsforschung: Ein Bericht über unsere Forschung #EwaldLab @ETH ausgestrahlt von @SRF
Nano (8.9.2020). Siehe Link und bitte vorspulen auf 10min 42sec.
@cyril_statzer @VenzRichard @Alincaro_T @JongsmaE
https://srf.ch/play/tv/nano/video/nano?urn=urn:srf:video:e2c27d79-b6af-438a-b2ba-f53c9326ab3e
Dauer-independent insulin/IGF-1 signalling implicates collagen remodelling in longevity.
Ewald, C.Y., Landis, J.N., Porter Abate, J., Murphy, C.T., Blackwell, T.K. (2015).
Media Coverage:
Joslin News release video [link]
Science Daily [link]
MedicalXpress [link]
The Scientist: Long Live Collagen [link]
TV interview, 7vor7, TeleBasel, Switzerland [link]
Radio interview, SWR2 (Südwestrundfunk) German Public Radio [link]
Honoree mentioning from American Federation For Aging Research [link]
NADPH oxidase-mediated redox signaling promotes oxidative stress resistance and longevity through memo-1 in C. elegans.
Elife. 2017 Jan 13;6. pii: e19493. doi: 10.7554/eLife.19493.
Ewald CY `*, Hourihan JM`, Bland MS, Obieglo C, Katic I, Moronetti Mazzeo LE, Alcedo J, Blackwell TK*, Hynes NE*.
`co-first author and * corresponding author
Media Coverage:
The Longevity Reporter [link]
The in-silico characterization of the Caenorhabditis elegans matrisome and proposal of a novel collagen classification
Matrix Biol. Plus. 2019 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mbplus.2018.11.001
Alina C. Teuscher, Elisabeth Jongsma, Martin N.Davis, Cyril Statzer, Jan M.Gebauer, Alexandra Naba, Collin Y. Ewald
Browse our C. elegans collagen database (CeColDB): http://CeColDB.permalink.cc/
Use our Matrisome Annotator on your datasets: http://ce-matrisome-annotator.permalink.cc/
Social Media Responses:
@DrGTWU: https://twitter.com/DrGTWU/status/1111509706386952193
"Thank you, @CollinEwald, for this foundational work, and to @ewbank_lab for sharing! My group will be increasing the citation index of this work! Dr. G added,"
@ishier_raote: https://twitter.com/ishier_raote/status/1111544341191901184
"A very useful resource indeed!"
@CSwormlab: https://twitter.com/NabaLabUIC/status/1111244387533709319
"Looking forward to using this resource! Congrats!"
@ewbank_lab: https://twitter.com/ewbank_lab/status/1111172814315372544
"http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590028518300012 …: Thorough classification of #C_elegans #matrisome by @CollinEwald et al; analysis of 181 #collagens. Will be very useful resource for those interested in ECM. A bonus: categorization of hits from our #RNAi screen for #immune genes http://bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12915-016-0256-3 …"
The Matrisome during Aging and Longevity: A Systems-Level Approach toward Defining Matreotypes Promoting Healthy Aging
Gerontology https://doi.org/10.1159/000504295
For full version, pls see preprint: doi: 10.20944/preprints201908.0063.v1
https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/201908.0063/v1
For anyone interested in joining our lab, pls read this paper.
And/or watch this interview from Ira Pastor, ideaXme longevity and aging Ambassador and Founder of Bioquark:
Superhighway of Our Cells: Extracellular Matrix With Prof Collin EwaldFunding
Our science is supported by
Competitive ETH Equipment Grant and ETH PhD Research Grant
Novartis Foundation for medical-biological Research
http://www.stiftungmedbiol.novartis.com
Bridging high-throughput screens with automated lifespan machine to identify novel molecular targets that promote healthy ageing
Dr. Wilhelm Hurka Stiftung Zürich
Meet Our Team
The Ewald Lab officially started on June 1st 2016.
Principal Investigator
PhD in Neuroscience, City University of New York, 2011
Research ID: K-6303-2015
ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1166-4171
Cyril Statzer
PhD Student
Master Program Biochemistry ETH Zürich
Master Thesis, University of Cambridge, UK, 2016
Bachelor in Biology, ETH Zürich, 2014
Study Exchange Semester, Princeton University, NJ, USA, 2014
CV
Email: cyril-statzer@ethz.ch
Alina Teuscher
PhD Student
Master in Biology, University of Cologne, 2016
Master Thesis, Cluster of Excellence in Cellular Stress Response in Aging-associated Diseases 2016
Research Assistant, Max Planck Institute of Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, 2015
Bachelor in Biology, University of Cologne, 2013
Internship, Life & Medical Sciences Institute for Developmental Biology, University of Bonn, 2012
Publication List
Eline Jongsma
PhD Student
Master of Neurosciences, VU University Amsterdam
Currently working on Master's thesis at ETH Zurich
Internship at Netherlands Institute for Neurosciences
Bachelor of Life Sciences, HAN university, Netherlands
Thesis at Wageningen University, Laboratory of Nematology
Internship at Dundee University, department of Gene Regulation and Expression
Small collaboration project with Oxford University, department of Biochemistry
Anita Goyala
Postdoctoral Fellow
PhD in Molecular Aging, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India (2019)
· M.Sc in Biomedical Sciences, ACBR, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India (2012)
· B.Sc in Biomedical Sciences, BCAS, University od Delhi, New Delhi, India (2010)
Desirée Dürr
Lab Manager
Matura,
Graduation thesis «Counting of Jogurt Bacteria with
Flow Cytometry – Process during in vitro Digestion», Kantonale Maturitätsschule Zürich, 2019
Laboratory Technician in Biology, Biochemical Analytics and Development of Methods / Microbiological Food Safety, Agroscope, 2017
Federal Vocational Education and Training as a Laboratory Technician in Biology, Agroscope, 2016
Alumni
Job Opportunities
We are looking for highly motivated scientists with great enthusiasm for aging research and the ability to creatively solve problems.
Current available positions in our lab @ ETH Zürich
There are 3 master projects available only for ETH students. See below for details.
There are no available positions for: internships, Maturaarbeits, bachelors.
Master Thesis in our lab @ ETH Zürich
Important the successful applicant must be in the master's program at ETH.
1. Master thesis: How 2 neurones control longevity through dietary restriction. Previously, 2 neurons have been shown to be required for organismal longevity under dietary restriction via the transcription factor SKN-1 in C. elegans doi:10.1038/nature05904. However, the mechanism how these neurons communicate with the peripheral tissue to improve health during aging is unknown. The master student will implement neuronal-specific DAM-ID to determine SKN-1 downstream target genes. This will generate hypothesis of the signalling molecule from the neurones to the peripheral tissue. Candidate genes will be assessed for their requirement with the lifespan assays.
2. Master thesis: Wound healing during aging in C. elegans. Wound healing might decline with aging and is impaired in diabetic patients. Assessing wound healing capacity of aging C. elegans. Measure the effects of aging and identify molecular mechanisms to improve wound healing during aging. The candidate will optimize and further develop currently used wound assessment for C. elegans. Please, see https://www.jove.com/video/51959/methods-for-skin-wounding-and-assays-for-wound-responses-in-c-elegans.
3. Master project on viscoelastic properties of aging C. elegans. Glycation and Advanced glycation end products are major complication of diabetic patients and the elderly population. The overall goal is to re-built the "bending device" described in this paper doi: 10.1073/pnas.1219965110 with the remote help of the authors of this paper. Then test bending stiffness of aging C. elegans and identify mechanisms to prevent stiffening of collagens. These mechanisms might be conserved in mammals helping to identify novel strategies against age-dependent glycation or collagen crosslinking as seen in diabetes patients.
Contact Details
Please, send CV, a paragraph explaining your motivation working on this project and highlighting your skills. Please, email at collin-ewald(at)ethz.ch
Fellowship opportunities for prospective post docs
In general, we are always looking for creative minds. Below is a list of fellowship opportunities.
ETH Zurich Postdoctoral Fellowships (ETH Fellows)
Submission deadlines are March 1 and September 1.
https://www.ethz.ch/en/research/research-promotion/eth-internal-programmes/eth-fellowships.html
EMBO Long-Term Fellowships
NOTICE: Applications are now accepted throughout the year.
http://embo.org/funding-awards/fellowships/long-term-fellowships#about
IBSA FOUNDATION
funds each year several young researchers to promote and facilitate the realization of their postdoctoral traineeships with
12 month fellowships of € 24,000.00 in ve research fields
http://www.ibsafoundation.org/fellowships.html
Deadline: Dec 31st 2016
http://www.ibsafoundation.org/borse_studio/fellowship2016.pdf
FEBS Fellowships
http://www.febs.org/our-activities/fellowships/
Human Frontier Science Program
HFSP fellowships are for three years. Fellows may choose to stay for up to three years in the host country or use the last year of their fellowship to return to their home country or to move to another HFSPO member country.
The next fellowship competition will be in August 2017.
http://www.hfsp.org/funding/postdoctoral-fellowships
AXA Research Fund Post-Doctoral Fellowships
In 2017 the AXA Research Fund will be proposing up to 25 Post-Doctoral Fellowships to outstanding researchers. You can be awarded a grant for up to €130,000 for an 18 to 24 month period.
https://www.axa-research.org/en/page/post-doctoral-fellowships
Stiftung Prof. Dr. Max Cloëtta
http://www.cloetta-foundation.ch/de/forschungsstellen/
MARIE SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIPS
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/msca-if-2017.html
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Scholars
Fellowship opportunities for prospective PhD students
In general, we are always looking for creative minds. Below is a list of fellowship opportunities.
Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds PhD fellowships
Deadlines of application: 1 February, 1 June, 1 October of each year.
https://www.bifonds.de/fellowships-grants/phd-fellowships.html
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus_mundus/funding/scholarships_students_academics_en.php#1
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Scholars
Drop Us A Note
Don't be afraid to reach out.
Lab Information
The Extracellular Matrix Regeneration Laboratory of Professor Dr. Collin Y. Ewald
Institute of Translational Medicine, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich
SLA C 8
Schorenstrasse 16
8603 Schwerzenbach-Zürich
Schweiz
Google maps just type in "Ewald Lab".
To find out more about ETH, click here.
Misc
Check out our YouTube channel: EwaldLab ETHZ
Swiss Society for Aging Research
We are members of the Swiss Society for Aging Research (SSFAR)
Swiss Society for Matrix Biology
We are members of the Swiss Society for Matrix Biology (ssmb)
GENiE Member
We are a member of the GENiE network that connects young research labs across Europe that work with the model organism C. elegans. Link to our GENiE profile.
ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich Life Science Zurich Graduate School
We are a member of the Molecular Life Science PhD program at the ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich Life Science Zurich Graduate School.
Recommended Reading
C. elegans
Sydney Brenner (1974) The Genetics of Caenorhabditis elegans.
Corsi, A.K., et al. 2015. A Transparent Window into Biology: A Primer on Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics. 2015 Jun;200(2):387-407. doi: 10.1534/genetics.115.176099.
Aging Research
Herndon, L.A. et. al., 2002. Stochastic and genetic factors influence tissue-specific decline in ageing C. elegans. Nature. 24;419(6909):808-14.
Kenyon, C.J., 2010. The genetics of ageing. Nature, 464(7288), pp.504–512.
López-Otín, C. et al., 2013. The hallmarks of aging. Cell, 153(6), pp.1194–1217.
Scott, C.T., 2015. Selling long life. Nat Biotechnol. 2015 Jan;33(1):31-40. doi: 10.1038/nbt.3108.
Advice for young researchers
Alon, U., 2009. How to choose a good scientific problem. Molecular cell, 35(6), pp.726–728.
Martin Chalfie. 2014. The Secret to Getting the Postdoc You Want
Peter Walter: On Careers and 42
Richard Axel. 2018, Neuron, 99(6), pp.1110–1112. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2018.09.003
Writing tips
Marder, E., 2019. Love writing. eLife, 8:e45734 DOI: 10.7554/eLife.45734
https://www.elsevier.com/connect/six-things-to-do-before-writing-your-manuscript
https://www.elsevier.com/connect/11-steps-to-structuring-a-science-paper-editors-will-take-seriously
Novelist Cormac McCarthy’s tips on how to write a great science paper
Hide Editor Panel. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02918-5
Beautifully presented papers
Additional Resources:
The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr.
The illustrated guide to a Ph.D.
Is It Real? Can We Win? Is It Worth Doing?: Managing Risk and Reward in an Innovation Portfolio
Recommended Video
Extracellular matrix
Cell–Extracellular Matrix Mechanobiology
C. elegans
For scientist joining my lab, we use wormbase.org on a daily bases.. hence, watch this.
http://blog.wormbase.org/2019/08/02/wormbase-workshop-talks-at-the-2019-iwm-available-on-youtube/
Recommended Nobel lectures
Sydney Brenner
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2002/brenner/lecture/
H. Robert Horvitz
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2002/horvitz/lecture/
Marty Chalfie
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2008/chalfie/lecture/
© 2016