麻豆传媒

I was originally a sport scientist and became interested in energy metabolism, mitochondria and oxidative stress. I then obtained my PhD on mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and ageing in Cambridge University under supervision of Prof. Martin Brand. Since then my research interests are in the areas of mitochondrial function in ageing and diseases, and I work both on mechanistic investigation and translational studies. Recently senescent cell targeted therapies that involve manipulation of mitochondrial function have become one of my research focuses.

My scientific contributions:

In my early career, I have characterised superoxide production by mitochondria in drosophila models, and showed membrane potential dependencies in reverse flow linked superoxide production by complex I. Then using mouse models, I have found mitochondrial complex I assembly status can predict lifespan potentials, which was linked with more coupled mitochondria and lower ROS production. I also found a non-canonical function of mTERT protein in improving mitochondrial function under dietary restriction, especially in brain.

I am also interested in critical evaluation of methodologies and have made an important discovery which explained previously unknown ‘background’ signal in Amplex Red based hydrogen peroxide detection, one of the most widely used methods for ROS measurements by biological materials. I found that carboxylesterase in mitochondrial matrix in various cell types can convert Amplex Red to resorufin in absence of oxygen, light nor any catalysts, and proposed that inhibitors for carboxylesterase such as PMSF should be included in the experiments. This has now become a necessary step for Amplex red assay.

In the area of cell senescence, I have made the original discovery that post-mitotic neurons develop senescent phenotype. I have also shown the effects of dietary restriction in reducing senescent cells in multiples of tissues, which were linked with improved tissue conditions.

Additional work:

Ageing mouse colony and tissue bank: I have taken a leading role in conducting the experiments and managing tissue bank for wild type ageing mice colonies and life-long dietary restriction study in both males and females. We are always open for collaboration, and if you are interested in our tissue bank resources, please get in touch!

Seahorse XF Analyzer: We were one of the first research groups to start using Seahorse XF Analyzer in Europe, and from the early phase of the technology development I have worked closely with the manufacturer and the research community for methodological optimisation and scientific discussions. I have since supervised over 30 seahorse based projects for both internal and external researchers from academic institutions and industry. With increasing and overwhelming demand of Seahorse analyser usage, I have made a central role to establish Seahorse core facility under the management of NU Flow Cytometry Core Facility, and I worked as a part time scientific officer during the first 2 years for its development . I continue acting as a consultant for Seahorse experiments.

 Qualifications:

• BSc in Human Sciences, University College London
• MSc in Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Glasgow
• PhD in Biochemistry, Cambridge University

Memberships and roles:

• Alliance for Healthy Ageing (Committee member)
• MIA Portugal (Scientific advisory board)  (https://twitter.com/_mia_portugal?lang=en-GB)
• CIMA (https://www.cimauk.org)
• UK SPINE (https://www.kespine.org.uk)
• NUCoRE Centre for Healthier Lives, Workstream lead for 'Restoring Health'
• Ageing and Geroscience Theme (committee member)

Research interests - Ageing:

I have always been marvelled by how life-forms manage to survive by adjusting and maintaining physiological homeostasis amid stresses and fluctuating environments, by incredible layers of mechanisms at different levels. As a classic definition of ageing, A. Comfort wrote ‘…the power of self-adjustment and self maintenance declines with the passage of time, and the probability of disease and death increases.' (The Biology of Senescence (1956)).

My approach into research on ageing is to try understanding the mechanisms of stress handling and the deterioration with age, contributing to loss of homeostasis (‘self-adjustment and self maintenance’), which may have sex specificities. I found it fascinating.

Even at mitochondrial levels, we can see an example of a decline of ‘self-adjustment’; in senescent cells, the functional capacity to maintain membrane potentials become much lower than that in young cells, and it is one of the therapeutic targets for anti-ageing in my research.

Current research projects:

• Understanding the nature of mitochondrial dysfunction in senescent cells
• Novel senolytic discovery, with mitochondrial focus
• Senescent cell targeted therapies against skin ageing
• Using senolytics as adjuvant cancer therapies
• Developing in vivo PET imaging tool for senescent cell accumulation
• Sex differences in ageing

Open vacancies:

No vacancies are currently available but we always welcome an interest from enthusiastic students and postdocs who are interested in applying for funding.

To discuss available options informally, please forward me your curriculum vitae and research interests.

• Lecturer on MRes in Biology of Ageing
• Project supervision for BSc and MRes courses
• PhD students supervisor
• Leading seminars and practical sessions for undergraduate students
• Hosting and supervising summer students, short term placement students from overseas, and visiting scholars
• MIA Portugal Ageing spring school organisation

• Articles

  • Low E, Smith LA, Miwa S, Fielder E, Przyborski S, von Zglinicki T. . Journal of Investigative Dermatology 2025, 145(1), 208-211.e8.
  • Liberale L, Tual-Chalot S, Sedej S, Ministrini S, Georgiopoulos G, Grunewald M, Bäck M, Bochaton-Piallat M, Boon R, Ramos G, de Winther M, Drosatos K, Evans P, Ferguson J, Forslund-Startceva S, Goettsch C, Giacca M, Haendeler J, Kallikourdis M, Ketelhuth D, Koenen R, Lacolley P, Lutgens E, Maffia P, Miwa S, Monaco C, Montecucco F, Norata G, Osto E, Richardson GD, Riksen N, Soehnlein O, Spyridopoulos I, Van Linthout S, Vilahur G, Wentzel J, Andrés V, Badimon L, Benetos A, Binder C, Brandes R, Crea F, Furman D, Gorbunova V, Guzik T, Hill J, Lüscher T, Mittelbrunn M, Nencioni A, Netea M, Passos J, Stamatelopoulos K, Tavernarakis N, Ungvari Z, Wu J, Kirkland J, Camici G, Dimmeler S, Kroemer G, Abdellatif M, Stellos K. . nature reviews cardiology 2025, 22, 577–605.
  • Abdelghany TM, Bosak J, Leitch AC, Charlton A, Fan L, Aljehani FA, Alkhathami OH, Hedya SA, Miwa S, Bronowska AK, Hirst J, Wright MC. . Chemosphere 2025, 374, 144213.
  • Kataura T, Sedlackova L, Sun C, Kocak G, Wilson N, Banks P, Hayat F, Trushin S, Trushina E, Maddocks ODK, Oblong JE, Miwa S, Imoto M, Saiki S, Erskine D, Migaud ME, Sarkar S, Korolchuk VI. . Cell Death and Disease 2024, 15(5), 382.
  • Kelly G, Kataura T, Panek J, Gailing M, Salmonowicz H, Davis A, Kendall H, Brookes C, Ayine-Tora DM, Banks P, Nelson G, Dobby L, Pitrez PR, Booth L, Costello L, Richardson GD, Lovat P, Przyborski S, Ferreira L, Greaves L, Szczepanowska K, von Zglinicki T, Miwa S, Brown M, Flagler M, Oblong JE, Bascom CC, Carroll B, Reynisson J, Korolchuk VI. . Developmental Cell 2024, 59(15), 1924-1939.e7.
  • Fielder EP, Ishaq A, Low E, Laws JA, Calista A, Castle J, von Zglinicki T, Miwa S. . Aging Biology 2024, 2, e20240022.
  • Fielder EP, Ishaq A, Low E, Laws JA, Calista A, Castle J, Von Zglinicki T, Miwa S. . Aging Biology 2024, 2, e20240022.
  • Castle J, Shaw G, Weller D, Fielder E, Egnuni T, Singh M, Skinner R, Von Zglinicki T, Clifford SC, Short SC, Miwa S, Hicks D. . Neuro-Oncology Advances 2024, 6(1), vdae091.
  • Witham MD, Granic A, Miwa S, Passos JF, Richardson GD, Sayer AA. . Age and Ageing 2023, 52(7), afad127.
  • Fielder E, Wan T, Alimohammadiha G, Ishaq A, Low E, Weigand BM, Kelly G, Parker C, Griffin B, Jurk D, Korolchuk V, von Zglinicki T, Miwa S. . eLife 2022, 11, e75492.
  • Cornell D, Miwa S, Georgiou M, Anderson SJ, Honkanen-Scott M, Shaw JAM, Arden C. . Cells 2022, 11(15), 2330.
  • Kataura T, Sedlackova L, Otten EG, Kumari R, Shapira D, Scialo F, Stefanatos R, Ishikawa K-I, Kelly G, Seranova E, Sun C, Maetzel D, Kenneth N, Trushin S, Zhang T, Trushina E, Bascom CC, Tasseff R, Isfort RJ, Oblong JE, Miwa S, Lazarou M, Jaenisch R, Imoto M, Saiki S, Papamichos-Chronakis M, Manjithaya R, Maddocks ODK, Sanz A, Sarkar S, Korolchuk VI. . Developmental Cell 2022, 57(22), 2584-2598.e11.
  • Zhang L, Rai P, Miwa S, Draman MS, Rees DA, Haridas AS, Morris DS, Tee AR, Ludgate M, Turnbull DM, Dayan CM. . Endocrinology 2021, 162(12), bqab188.
  • Braude S, Holtze S, Begall S, Brenmoehl J, Burda H, Dammann P, del Marmol D, Gorshkova E, Henning Y, Hoeflich A, Hohn A, Jung T, Hamo D, Sahm A, Shebzukhov Y, Sumbera R, Miwa S, Vyssokikh MY, von Zglinicki T, Averina O, Hildebrandt TB. . Biological Reviews 2021, 96(2), 376-393.
  • Blair HR, Tomas C, Miwa S, Heath A, Russell A, Ginkel M-V, Gunn D, Walker M. . Journal of Diabetes and its Complications 2021, 35(3), 107843.
  • Mavin E, Verdon B, Carrie S, Saint-Criq V, Powell J, Kuttruff CA, Ward C, Garnett JP, Miwa S. . American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology 2020, 318(6), L1158-L1164.
  • Abdelghany TM, Leitch AC, Nevjestic I, Ibrahim I, Miwa S, Wilson C, Heutz S, Wright MC. . Food and Chemical Toxicology 2020, 145, 111593.
  • da Silva PFL, Ogrodnik M, Kucheryavenko O, Glibert J, Miwa S, Cameron K, Ishaq A, Saretzki G, Nagaraja-Grellscheid S, Nelson G, von Zglinicki T. . Aging Cell 2019, 18(1), e12848.
  • Fielder E, Weigand M, Agneessens J, Griffin B, Parker C, Miwa S, von Zglinicki T. . Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 2019, 180, 63-69.
  • CorreiaMelo C, Birch J, Fielder E, Rahmatika D, Taylor J, Chapman J, Lagnado A, Carroll BM, Miwa S, Richardson G, Jurk D, Oakley F, Mann J, Mann DA, Korolchuk V, Passos JF. . Aging Cell 2019, 18(1), e12882.
  • Korolchuk VI, Miwa S, Carroll B, von Zglinicki T. . EBioMedicine 2017, 21, 7-13.
  • Aziz SA, Wakeling LA, Miwa S, Alberdi G, Hesketh JE, Ford D. . Molecular Nutrition and Food Research 2017, 61(2), 1600574.
  • Noble RA, Bell N, Blair H, Sikka A, Thomas H, Phillips N, Nakjang S, Miwa S, Crossland R, Rand V, Televantou D, Long A, Keun HC, Bacon CM, Bomken S, Critchlow SE, Wedge SR. . Haematologica 2017, 102(7), 1247-1257.
  • Ogrodnik M, Miwa S, Tchkonia T, Tiniakos D, Wilson CL, Lahat A, Day CP, Burt A, Palmer A, Anstee QM, Nagaraja Grellscheid S, Hoeijmakers JHJ, Barnhoorn S, Mann DA, Bird TG, Vermeij WP, Kirkland JL, Passos JF, von Zglinicki T, Jurk D. . Nature Communications 2017, 8, 15691.
  • Correia-Melo C, Marques FDM, Anderson R, Hewitt G, Hewitt R, Cole J, Carroll BM, Miwa S, Birch J, Merz A, Rushton MD, Charles M, Jurk D, Tait SWG, Czapiewski R, Greaves L, Nelson G, Bohlooly-Y M, Rodriguez-Cuenca S, Vidal-Puig A, Mann D, Saretzki G, Quarato G, Green DR, Adams PD, von Zglinicki T, Korolchuk VI, Passos JF. . EMBO Journal 2016, 35(7), 724-742.
  • Miwa S, Czapiewski R, Wan TF, Bell A, Hill KN, von Zglinicki T, Saretzki G. . Aging 2016, 8(10), 2551-2567.
  • Vistoli G, Treumann A, von Zglinicki T, Miwa S. . Data in Brief 2016, 6, 865-870.
  • Miwa S, Treumann A, Bell A, Vistoli G, Nelson G, Hay S, von Zglinicki T. . Free Radical Biology and Medicine 2016, 90, 173-183.
  • Spilsbury A, Miwa S, Attems J, Saretzki G. . Journal of Neuroscience 2015, 35(4), 1659-1674.
  • Stoll EA, Makin R, Sweet IR, Trevelyan AJ, Miwa S, Horner PJ, Turnbull DM. . Stem Cells 2015, 33(7), 2306-2319.
  • Dolan DWP, Zupanic A, Nelson G, Hall P, Miwa S, Kirkwood TBL, Shanley DP. . PLoS Computational Biology 2015, 11(5), e1004246.
  • Miwa S, Jow H, Baty K, Johnson A, Czapiewski R, Saretzki G, Treumann A, von Zglinicki T. . Nature Communications 2014, 5, 3837.
  • Coutelle O, Hornig-Do HT, Witt A, Andree M, Schiffmann LM, Piekarek M, Brinkmann K, Seeger JM, Liwschitz M, Miwa S, Hallek M, Kronke M, Trifunovic A, Eming SA, Wiesner RJ, Hacker UT, Kashkar H. . EMBO Molecular Medicine 2014, 6(5), 624-639.
  • Nile DL, Brown AE, Kumaheri MA, Blair HR, Heggie A, Miwa S, Cree LM, Payne B, Chinnery PF, Brown L, Gunn DA, Walker M. . PLoS One 2014, 9(12), e115433.
  • Bonnen PE, Yarham JW, Besse A, Wu P, Faqeih EA, Al-Asmari AM, Saleh MAM, Eyaid W, Hadeel A, He L, Smith F, Yau S, Simcox EM, Miwa S, Donti T, Abu-Amero KK, Wong LJ, Craigen WJ, Graham BH, Scott KL, McFarland R, Taylor RW. . American Journal of Human Genetics 2013, 93(3), 471-481.
  • Gavriilidis C, Miwa S, von Zglinicki T, Taylor RW, Young DA. . Arthritis & Rheumatism 2013, 65(2), 378-387.
  • Jurk D, Wang C, Miwa S, Maddick M, Korolchuk V, Tsolou A, Gonos ES, Thrasivoulou C, Saffrey JM, Cameron K, von Zglinicki T. . Aging Cell 2012, 11(6), 996-1004.
  • Cameron KM, Golightly A, Miwa S, Speakman J, Boys R, von Zglinicki T. . Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 2011, 132(4), 202-209.

• Book Chapter

  • Reed R, Miwa S. . In: J. Robin Harris and Viktor I. Korolchuk, ed. Biochemistry and Cell Biology of Ageing: Part III Biomedical Science. Cham: Springer, 2023, pp.139-173.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Aziz SA, Wakeling LA, Miwa S, Hesketh JE, Ford D. . In: Nutrition Society Scottish Section Meeting 2015, Diet, gene regulation and metabolic disease. 2015, Aberdeen, UK: Cambridge University Press.
  • Miwa S, Jow H, Treumann A, von Zglinicki T. . In: 17th European Bioenergetics Conference. 2012, Freiburg, Germany: Elsevier BV.

• Note

  • Mokhberian N, Sharifi K, Soleymaninejadian E, Eftekhary M, Hashemi SM, Farhadi S, Miwa S, Ghanbarian H. . Scientific Reports 2023, 13(1), 1426.

• Reviews

  • Miwa S, Kashyap S, Chini E, von Zglinicki T. . Journal of Clinical Investigation 2022, 132(13), e158447.
  • Von Zglinicki T, Wan T, Miwa S. . Antioxidants and Redox Signaling 2021, 34(4), 308-323.
  • Low E, Alimohammadiha G, Smith LA, Costello LF, Przyborski SA, von Zglinicki T, Miwa S. . Ageing Research Reviews 2021, 71, 101456.
  • Short S, Fielder E, Miwa S, von Zglinicki T. . EBioMedicine 2019, 41, 683-692.
  • Miwa S, Saretzki G. . Neural Regeneration Research 2017, 12(3), 358-361.