Vincenzo Sorrentino
National University of Singapore, Singapore
Bio:
Vincenzo Sorrentino is a scientist in the fields of aging, mitochondrial biology and neuromuscular degeneration. After his PhD with honors from the University of Amsterdam in Medical Biochemistry, he carried his postdoctoral research in Prof. Johan Auwerx’s lab at the EPFL in Switzerland. From 2019 till 2022, he took a role as Group Leader at the Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences in Switzerland, to lead research focused on integrating basic discoveries on natural bioactives that modulate NAD+, mitochondria and protein homeostasis with their possible translation into clinical applications. Currently, he is Assistant Professor and leads his research lab at the NUS with the Healthy Longevity Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Amsterdam. His work on mitochondria and NAD+ metabolism in Alzheimer’s disease and muscle aging has appearedin Nature (2017), Cell Reports (2021) and recently with the discovery of trigonelline as an NAD+ modulator and the interconnection between cellular senescence, NAD+ metabolism and epigenetics in kidney disease, in Nature Metabolism (2024) and Cell Reports (2026).
Abstract:
Mitochondria are central regulators of cellular homeostasis, integrating energy metabolism, proteostasis, stress responses, and cell survival. Accumulating evidence indicates that mitochondrial dysfunction is a fundamental contributor to ageing and numerous age-associated diseases, including neurodegeneration and sarcopenia. This presentation provides an overview of recent advances in understanding mitochondrial adaptations during ageing and highlights emerging strategies to therapeutically target mitochondrial function. Evidence from my previous and current research highlights activation mitochondrial stress response pathways in Alzheimer's disease, the role of NAD+ precursors and urolithin A during muscle aging and disease, as approaches to improve mitochondrial function and preserve tissue resilience. Together, these findings illustrate how mechanistic insights into mitochondrial biology can be translated into novel therapeutic and preventive strategies aimed at promoting healthy longevity and reducing the burden of age-related diseases across diverse populations.
