Professor Ilaria Bellantuono
MD, PhD
School of Medicine and Population Health
Professor of Musculoskeletal Ageing
Co-Director, The Healthy Lifespan Institute


+44 114 215 9037
Full contact details
School of Medicine and Population Health
DU33, D Floor
The Medical School
Beech Hill Road
91直播
S10 2RX
- Profile
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For enquiries please contact - SMPH-West-Operational@sheffield.ac.uk
I am Professor of Musculoskeletal Ageing and Co-Director of the Healthy Lifespan Institute (HELSI) at the University of 91直播. I am the co-founder and Co-lead of .
I am a medically trained scientist focused on understanding the biology of ageing and identifying strategies to prevent multimorbidity and frailty through geroprotective interventions. My scientific journey began in stem cell biology, with a PhD in gene therapy for inherited blood disorders at the University of Manchester and postdoctoral work on leukemic and mesenchymal stem cells. This early work continues to shape how I approach the challenges of ageing today.
Current PhD Opportunities:
- Research interests
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My research aims to delay or prevent the onset of multiple age-related diseases and frailty by targeting the biological processes of ageing itself, using medicinal drugs known as geroprotectors. I focus on generating robust preclinical data in mouse models to support the transition to phase 1 clinical trials aimed at preventing frailty. This includes identifying individuals at risk of frailty and addressing the regulatory challenges involved in advancing these therapies to clinical application.
I work closely with colleagues and experts across various age-related diseases to uncover common mechanisms of ageing鈥攕uch as DNA repair deficiencies and cellular senescence鈥攖hat drive multiple long-term chronic conditions. Together, we investigate how diseases cluster, identify compounds that target shared mechanisms, and explore their potential to impact multiple conditions simultaneously. I am also involved in designing clinical trials tailored to these approaches.
In collaboration with industrial partners and regulatory experts, I have contributed to reaching a European-level consensus on the best strategies to bring geroprotectors to the clinic. Our roadmap for achieving this is outlined in: Bellantuono I. Nature. 2018.
My contribution to the field of ageing has been recognised with the Dunhill Medical Trust Excellence in Leadership Award (Senior), 2024.
- Publications
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- Research group
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PhD Students
- Olivia Turner
- Ziqian Sun
- Josie Cadman
- Nikita Soni
- Teaching interests
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I am the Director of training for the HELSI-Dunhill Medical Trust Doctoral training program whose aims align with the HELSI mission of developing solutions for the prevention of multiple long-term chronic conditions and frailty.
Until 2017 I was the Director of training for the MRC-AR UK Centre for Integrated research into Musculoskeletal Ageing (CIMA). The Centre is a is a collaboration between the Universities of Liverpool, Newcastle and 91直播 and the training includes an MRes and PhD programme.
I also contribute to the Student Selected Components of Phase 1a of the MBChB course.
- Professional activities and memberships
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Most of my time is now taken by the running of the Healthy Lifespan Institute and UKAgeNet. This has been built from my experience when I have Chaired and led the effort of the COST Action a European network comprising over 200 researchers from 25 EU countries to identify a roadmap to take medicinal drugs targeting mechanisms of ageing (geroprotectors) to the patients.
Previously I headed the Mellanby Centre skelet.AL laboratories (former Bone Analysis Laboratory), which provides access and expertise to contemporary technologies for the analysis of bone to investigators, internally and externally.
I was also the Director of Research for the Department of Oncology and Metabolism and a member of the Faculty Research and Innovation Committee, which oversees the Faculty strategic approach to Research and Innovation. At present I am serving as a panel member for the UKRI Future Leader Fellowship scheme.
I have been the Chair of the BBSRC Bioscience Skills and Careers (BSC) Strategy Advisory Panel, The BBSRC Fellowship portfolio monitoring group and a member of BBSRC Research Advisory Panel, roles I have enjoyed enormously and from which I have gained experience in policymaking in the vital skills and science sector.
I have taken part in evaluation of funding including NC3Rs, Arthritis Research UK and Horizon 2020 panels.