Assistant Professor, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Glenn Foundation for Medical Research and AFAR Grants for Junior Faculty - 2022
What inspired you to pursue aging research?
I am inspired by recent studies indicating that certain hormones that modulate brain metabolism, as well as several dietary interventions, may be capable of promoting a healthy brain aging. I then decided to take on the challenge of filling an important gap in our understanding of when and where energy metabolism initially deteriorates in aging neurons. Using novel optical methods, my team will perform direct and quantitative visualizations of metabolite levels in different regions of a neuron, in live brain tissue. The ultimate goal is to provide mechanistic insights that may guide more targeted metabolic interventions to improve learning and memory in the aging brain.
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 highly regarded as one of the most prestigious and welcoming organizations for investigators interested in aging research. AFAR has a strong reputation in fostering the career of researchers in this field not only by funding junior investigators but also by contributing to the dissemination of their findings and promoting networking. Receiving this grant is crucial for my team to establish a research program on neuronal metabolism and aging, especially at this early stage of my career as I am becoming an independent researcher. In challenging times to set up a new laboratory, this grant was especially important to me as encouragement to study aging. As a newcomer to the field of aging research, this AFAR grant also offers valuable opportunities to interact with investigators in aging who could be potential mentors or collaborators.
What is exciting about your research’s potential impact?
My research program seeks to define metabolic pathways that participate in energy production in pre- and post-synaptic neuronal compartments, to test whether early energy deficits are manifest in these areas during aging, and if they can be attenuated by supplementing specific mitochondrial fuels. Our findings may guide dietary or pharmacological interventions to ensure energy supply for neurotransmission, and potentially ameliorate cognitive dysfunction in the aging brain.
How would you describe your research to a non-scientist?
My research program will be the first to define changes in the metabolic responses to stimulation in different regions of aging neurons. These regions include dendrites and axons, which are cellular elongations that create functional connections between neurons. The goal of this project is to characterize impairments in energy metabolism that may increase the vulnerability of the brain during aging. The results of this study will allow us to determine whether region-specific alterations in neuronal glucose consumption, or the utilization of other mitochondrial fuels, occur in aging neurons. Ultimately, we will advance our understanding on how changes in neuronal metabolism could impact learning and memory.
