NIH Common Fund Cellular Senescence Network (SenNet) Program

For more information on the Cellular Senescence Network (SenNet) program, visit our website at: https://commonfund.nih.gov/senescence A cell dividing into two cells is a hallmark of human development. Over time, our bodies accumulate a small number of cells that no longer divide. These “senescent” cells are a rare type of cells that play both positive and negative roles in biological processes, either directly or through the release of molecules that affect neighboring cells. The rarity and diversity of these cells previously made them difficult to identify and study, but recent advances in studying individual cells, or single-cell analysis, now make it possible. Therapeutics called “senolytics” are being developed to target senescent cells and remove them from the body, however a deeper understanding of cellular senescence is needed to ensure therapies like senolytics encourage the beneficial effects of senescent cells while suppressing their tissue-damaging effects. For this reason, the Common Fund’s Cellular Senescence Network (SenNet) program was established to comprehensively identify and characterize the differences in senescent cells across the body, across various states of human health, and across the lifespan. SenNet will develop innovative tools and technologies for the study of senescent cells and provide publicly accessible maps and atlases of senescent cells. These data and resources would otherwise be difficult to achieve through individual efforts, and will accelerate the ability of biomedical researchers to develop therapeutics that target cellular senescence and improve human health.