What inspired you to pursue aging research?
My postdoctoral mentors introduced me to exciting aging research. Reflecting on my family history, my grandparents were centenarians and enjoyed healthier lives. However, my parents' generation, while also living longer, have serious health conditions. As I gained a deeper understanding of the field, I realized that by targeting aging, we can potentially delay a multitude of age-related diseases. My prior experience in genetics and drug discovery has equipped me to understand the genetics of centenarians and explore potential ways to target specific gene regions using novel drug molecules.
In your view, what does AFAR mean to the field, and what does it mean, for you, to receive an AFAR grant now?
This is my first independent grant as a postdoctoral fellow and I am very impressed with AFAR’s mission to engage early carrier scientists in the field of aging. AFAR also provides a platform for networking with other researchers who share similar interests. I am very excited to be part of AFAR family.
What is exciting about your research’s potential impact?
Several lines of evidence indicate that, in addition to living longer, centenarians exhibit resilience against age-related diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this resilience are largely unknown. My research aims to find novel genetic signatures in centenarians that may contribute to their longevity and resilience to age related diseases. The identification of longevity associated unique genetic markers in humans directly confirms their importance to human health.
How would you describe your research to a non-scientist?
It is intriguing how the biology of aging is altered in model organisms to extend both lifespan and healthspan. However, translating these findings into humans has demonstrated limited potential. One alternative approach that I intend to pursue is studying the genetics of individuals who exhibit exceptional longevity. In our lab, we are interested to find novel longevity signatures in certain longevity pathways using human aging cohort to study their relationship with longevity and age related diseases. Confirming the role of these genes and variants in human aging could lead to new therapeutic interventions to delay aging.
