Prof. Dr. Ahmad Taha Khalaf
Anhui University of Science and Technology (AUST) China & WUC Malaysia, Auckland New Zealand
Title: Age-Related Impacts on the Immune SystemFunction
Abstract:
The aging process brings about significant changes in the immune system, leading to a phenomenon known as immunosenescence. As individuals grow older, the immune response becomes slower and less efficient, increasing susceptibility to infections and reducing the body's ability to combat diseases. Moreover, aging is associated with thymic involution, where the thymus gland shrinks, affecting the production of T cells crucial for adaptive immunity.
These immunological changes have profound implications for health and disease in older adults. The decline in immune function contributes to the higher incidence of infections and certain types of cancer observed in aging populations. Additionally, the concept of "inflamm-aging" emerges, describing the chronic low-grade inflammation associated with aging that further compromises immune cell activity. These complexities highlight the necessity of understanding age-related changes in the immune system to develop targeted interventions that enhance immunity and promote healthy aging.In summary, aging is accompanied by significant alterations in immune function, collectively referred to as immunosenescence. These changes include immune system slowdown, thymic involution, and increased inflammation, contributing to heightened susceptibility to infections and diseases in older individuals. Addressing these immunological shifts is crucial for improving health outcomes and quality of life among the elderly.
Biography:
Prof. Dr. A Taha is a Visiting Professor and External Advisor from New Zealand, and a High-end Foreign Expert at WUC Malaysia. Research interests include biomedical engineering, genetic polymorphism effective delivery for genes in vitro, gene knock in and genomic screening, and various topics related to biomedical research. The research results have been published in more than 50 papers in international journals and conferences, including various sci/scie/ieee indexing. He received various awards such as chosen for who’s who in medicine and Healthcare 2010. Currently he is an editorial board member for several international journals.