Professor Ilaria Bellantuono

MD, PhD

School of Medicine and Population Health

Professor of Musculoskeletal Ageing

Co-Director, The Healthy Lifespan Institute

Professor Ilaria Bellantuono
Professor Ilaria Bellantuono
Profile picture of Professor Ilaria Bellantuono
i.bellantuono@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 215 9037

Full contact details

Professor Ilaria Bellantuono
School of Medicine and Population Health
DU33, D Floor
The Medical School
Beech Hill Road
Sheffield
S10 2RX
Profile

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 Sheffield.  I am the co-founder and Co-lead of UKAgeNet.

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.

Research interests

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—such as DNA repair deficiencies and cellular senescence—that 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. Find drugs that delay many diseases of old age. 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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Journal articles

All publications

Journal articles

Chapters

Conference proceedings papers

  • Turner O, Villa-Uriol M-C, Tchkonia T, Kirkland JL, Griffin J, Bellantuono I & Wyld L (2024) Degree of frailty impacts treatment & outcomes of breast cancer. FUTURE ONCOLOGY, Vol. 20 (pp 11-12) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Turner O, Morgan J, Sun Z, Juarez M, Villa-Uriol M-C, Tchkonia T, Kirkland JL, Griffin J, Bellantuono I & Wyld L (2024) Correlating frailty & senescence: a biomarker study. FUTURE ONCOLOGY, Vol. 20 (pp 17-18) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Martins RR, Ellis P, Mughal N, Bellantuono I & Henriques CM (2019) Abstract # 3231 Telomerase-dependent senescence and inflammation with ageing in the zebrafish brain. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, Vol. 81(Supplement) (pp 7-7). Berlin, Germany, 4 June 2019 - 8 June 2019. View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Misra J, Misra J, Mohanty ST, Madan S, Fernandes JA, Ebetino FH, Roehl H, Russell RG & Bellantuono I (2013) Can Bisphosphonates extend Life Span? Effects on Stem Cell survival, DNA Repair and Tissue Regeneration. JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Vol. 28 RIS download Bibtex download
  • Wang QG, Mohanty S, Bellantuono I & Gartland A (2012) TIBIAL PLATEAU BONE SURFACE ROUGHNESS - A POTENTIAL NEW EARLY MARKER TO DETECT ARTHRITIS?. OSTEOPOROSIS INTERNATIONAL, Vol. 23 (pp S574-S574) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Bellantuono I, Cairney C, Sanguinetti G, Ranghini E, Nostro MC, Bhattacharya A, Svendsen CN & Keith WN (2009) A system biology approach to Down Syndrome: identification of Notch/Wnt dysregulation in stem cells with age. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS, Vol. 46 (pp S22-S22) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Suzuki M, McHugh J, Tork C, Shelley B, Hayes A, Bellantuono I, Aebischer P & Svendsen CN (2008) Intramuscular delivery of GDNF with human mesenchymal stem cells protects dying motor neurons and prolongs survival in a rat model of familial ALS. CELL TRANSPLANTATION, Vol. 17(4) (pp 482-483) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Holmes KD, Bellantuono I, Walkinshaw SA, Alfirevic Z, Johnston T, Subhedar NV, Chittick R, Swindell R & Wynn RF (2005) Human fetal haematopoietic stem cells show different telomere length dynamics from age-matched post natal stem cells in a longitudinal study. BRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Vol. 129 (pp 8-8) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Holmes DK, Bellantuono I, Walkinshaw SA, Alfirivec Z, Johnston TA & Wynn RF (2003) Human fetal hematopoietic stem cells show different telomere length dynamics to post natal and adult blood cells in a longitudinal study.. BLOOD, Vol. 102(11) (pp 566A-566A) RIS download Bibtex download

Datasets

Preprints

Research group

PhD Students

  • Olivia Turner
  • Ziqian Sun
  • Josie Cadman
  • Nikita Soni
Teaching interests

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 Sheffield 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

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 MouseAGE 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.