Tara Tracy, PhD

What inspired you to pursue aging research?

I was inspired to pursue aging research by my colleagues at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging who are at the forefront of investigating the biology of aging. Specifically, I have been intrigued by the factors that influence healthy aging through my extensive collaborations and interactions in the community of leading aging researchers at the Buck Institute. This has motivated me to initiate the proposed new research project in my lab to advance our understanding of synaptic mechanisms that influence cognitive decline in brain aging.

In your view, what does AFAR mean to the field, and what does it mean, for you, to receive an AFAR grant now?

I am honored to receive this AFAR grant award, and I am excited that it will allow me to expand my research program using innovative approaches to investigate how molecular mechanisms that impact synapse physiology drive memory loss in aging. In my view, AFAR has made major contributions to advancing, expanding, and driving innovation in the field of aging research through various and diverse granting mechanisms.

What is exciting about your research’s potential impact?

Why some individuals are more prone to memory loss with age than others is not well understood. Our research is exciting because it can provide new insights into what is occurring within the neurons of individuals who are more vulnerable to memory loss in aging.

How would you describe your research to a non-scientist?

We are studying synapses, which are the small specialized structures that form where neurons connect with each other in the brain to transmit information. Synapses are critical for the encoding of new memories in the brain. KIBRA is a protein found in neurons that plays an important role in the normal function of synapses during the formation of new memories. In our ongoing research, we aim to establish how the levels of KIBRA protein at synapses can affect the susceptibility of an individual to memory loss in aging.