Healthspan is the period of life during which we are healthy and productive. We study the biology of healthspan, because we want to know what goes on at the biological (cellular) level as we age, and how it affects our overall health across the entire lifespan. One thing we know for certain is that “good stuff” like exercise improves healthspan, and we’re trying to determine if biological processes stimulated by exercise can help us understand other ways to improve healthspan (like nutrition, pharmaceuticals or genetics). We are particularly interested in brain health across the lifespan, and in neurodegenerative diseases that threaten healthy brain aging. To study this, we use a variety of translational techniques, including experiments in cells, C. elegans, mice and humans. We also do a lot of bioinformatics (computational biology), and one major project in the lab focuses on RNA metabolism and non-coding/repetitive RNAs in aging and neurodegeneration.
KEY PROJECTS
JUNK DNA, INFLAMMATION, AGING AND HEALTHSPAN
More than 60% of the human genome is composed of non-coding, repetitive sequences. Researchers are only just beginning to understand the biological functions of these “repetitive elements” and their role in human health. We are using bioinformatics to determine if certain repetitive element RNAs might influence healthspan by profiling them in young people, older adults, and older adults who exercise, and then linking RNA changes with measurements of health.
MECHANISMS OF BRAIN AGING AND NEURODEGENERATION
One particularly important influence on healthspan is brain aging. Data show that our brains actually start to slow down around age 30, and eventually this can reduce overall quality of life. Brain aging also increases the risk for conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. We use neurons and other in vitro models to study possible biological causes of brain aging and Alzheimer’s disease, including the effects of repetitive element RNAs and even chemotherapy on the brain.
BIOLOGICAL AGING CLOCKS, EXERCISE & HEALTHSPAN
Because healthy diet and behaviors like exercise have such a positive effect on healthspan, we are interested in their “molecular transducers”. That is, what do exercise and/or healthy diet do at the cellular level that impacts overall healthspan. We are investigating this using multiple approaches, including bioinformatics, studies in C. elegans, mouse models of brain aging, and even samples from people. Lifespan experiments are impossible to conduct in people, and even in mice they take 3-5 years. Therefore, we use C. elegans to test compounds or interventions that may increase lifespan/healthspan (these semi-microscopic organisms live for ~20 days). We are particularly interested in bioactive plant compounds and other “nutraceuticals” that might increase healthspan, and we test these in C. elegans using a semi-automated imaging system.