What inspired you to pursue aging research?
My interest in aging research was molded by my earlier work on Alzheimer’s disease, which laid the foundation for investigating diseases that are associated with aging. During this period, I was fascinated by the pathology that led to cognitive decline in the elderly. During my Postdoctoral studies, I realized that normative-aged animals displayed distinct subpopulations of varying cognitive ability. These studies formed the basis of my independent research with a focus on pathological brain aging that increases disease susceptibility.
In your view, what does AFAR mean to the field, and what does it mean, for you, to receive an AFAR grant now?
AFAR provides a strong foundation for the advancement of Aging biology research by supporting investigators at varying levels of career, and fostering innovative research agendas that propel the science of aging to the forefront of medicine. I am exceedingly honored to have received this funding as I navigate my career trajectory in Aging research. This award facilitates and strengthens my research agenda in investigating the heterogeneity of cognitive function and the interplay between brain and adipose/fat aging.
What is exciting about your research’s potential impact?
Heterogeneity in function in previous studies has historically been disregarded as variance. The most exciting aspect of our research is that we can model the heterogeneity of cognitive function in mice akin to humans. This for the first time has allowed us to investigate pathways that may be critically deficient with impairment and those that contribute to cognitive resilience. Stratification of cognitive performance also allows us to identify responders and non-responders to aging interventions and therefore be able to effectively test the efficacy of interventions.
How would you describe your research to a non-scientist?
Cognitive function in the aging population is highly variable. While cognitive deficits affect many individuals as they age, some retain functionality despite their age and exhibit “cognitive resilience”. Yet very little is known about how the brain alters with age and the mechanisms that either preserve or impair cognitive function. Importantly, obesity and insulin resistance contribute to cognitive health. Our research proposes to investigate the interplay between metabolic alterations in fat tissue and the brain in aging. In doing so, we hope to identify biomarkers that can predict cognitive health and develop potential therapeutic targets for cognitive impairment in aging and disease.
