Mechanisms of osmoregulation and biomarker identification in human skin cells and plasma

Doktorand / Doktorandin Laura Wester (geb. Hoen)
Forschungsschwerpunkt HRK Schwerpunkt One Health
Zeitraum 01.05.2018 - 11.12.2024
Wissenschaftlich betreuende Personen HS-Coburg Prof. Dr. Stefan Kalkhof und Prof. Dr. Janosch Hildebrand
Einrichtungen Hochschule Coburg
Promotionszentrum Analytics4Health
Fakultät Angewandte Naturwissenschaften und Gesundheit (FNG)
Wissenschaftlich betreuende Person (extern)

Summary

Due to demographic changes, the proportion of individuals over the age of 65 in the german population is increasing. This trend favors the occurrence of various age-related diseases. One such issue is dehydration. Dehydration can be caused by multiple factors in old age, including physical changes (lower fluid reserves and reduced total body water), and insufficient fluid intake due to reduced thirst and medications. The skin’s involvement in dehydration is suggested by various factors such as reduced skin turgor and impaired wound healing. However, diagnosing dehydration in older individuals can be challenging due to the normal aging process, which can obscure diagnostic signs such as abnormal skin turgor.