What inspired you to pursue aging research?
As a physician-scientist, I am inspired by the incredible opportunity to translate our field’s extensive knowledge of the basic biology of aging into translational and clinical research that could have a substantial impact on improving human healthspan. I believe that the pursuit of translational geroscience research has the potential to transform the practice of medicine.
In your view, what does AFAR mean to the field, and what does it mean, for you, to receive an AFAR grant now?
AFAR is an innovative organization that is extremely supportive of trainees and junior investigators and seeks to recruit the brightest minds to study aging. In addition to directly funding aging research, AFAR is constantly striving to increase the interest of the public and policymakers in aging. Receiving an AFAR grant as a junior investigator is extremely important for my career development and will catapult my research efforts forward in a meaningful way.
What is exciting about your research’s potential impact?
My AFAR-supported research has the potential to revolutionize the way that we measure and define delirium risk. In addition, my research has the potential to identify strategies to prevent or treat a syndrome that currently has limited biological targets for the development of novel therapies.
How would you describe your research to a non-scientist?
The overall goal of my research is to identify proteins that can be measured in blood and indicate that a person is at high risk of delirium. Knowing which proteins in the blood are associated with the risk of delirium may not only help medical professionals identify patients who need specialized preventative care but could also lead to the development of new therapies that could be given to prevent or treat delirium in patients who are at highest risk.
