Spatiotemporal Rewiring of Lipid Metabolism in Aging Tissues
Dr. Caitlin Davis is investigating biological hallmarks of aging in lipid metabolism. Aging is associated with a shift of metabolism towards lipogenesis. Therefore, understanding the dynamics of competing lipogenic pathways across the cell, their variations across cell types, and their responses to cellular stresses is crucial. However, measuring lipid metabolism inside the cell is not trivial. Using state-of-the-art infrared microscopy, this project investigates the spatial distribution, metabolic rates, and stress response of competing lipogenic pathways in aging fat and liver cells. This nuanced approach will reveal what pathways increased lipogenesis in aging occurs through, their interplay, and the chemical composition of lipid stores. Unraveling these interactions will enhance our ability to diagnose cellular aging as well as develop therapies that re-engineer lipogenic metabolic networks to bypass aging-linked disorders.
