What inspired you to pursue aging research?
I've always been fascinated by the biological mechanisms that drive aging—why certain tissues decline earlier than others and how we might intervene to slow these changes. With my background in gut microbiota research, I became increasingly interested in how microbes influence host health over time. Female reproductive aging particularly drew my attention because it's one of the earliest signs of systemic aging with wide-reaching effects on women's health. Discovering that the gut microbiome may play a role in ovarian aging was a turning point—it perfectly bridged my passion for microbiome science and aging biology. The possibility that we could target the gut to improve reproductive longevity and healthspan really inspired me to pursue this research direction.
In your view, what does AFAR mean to the field, and what does it mean, for you, to receive an AFAR grant now?
AFAR plays a vital role in the aging research field by supporting innovative science and encouraging cross-disciplinary approaches. AFAR supports researchers who bring diverse scientific perspectives into aging research—a cross-disciplinary approach that is essential for advancing our understanding of aging and developing innovative interventions. For me, receiving an AFAR grant is both a great honor and a powerful encouragement. It not only validates the direction of my research but also gives me the support and confidence to pursue ambitious questions at the intersection of reproductive biology, microbiome science, and aging. I’m excited to be part of the AFAR community and to contribute to the broader mission of promoting healthy aging。
What is exciting about your research’s potential impact?
One of the most exciting aspects of my research is the possibility of uncovering how the gut microbiome influences reproductive aging. If we can identify specific microbes or metabolites that mediate the effects of interventions like rapamycin, it could lead to new, non-invasive therapies to preserve fertility and ovarian function as women age.
How would you describe your research to a non-scientist?
As women age, their ovaries are among the first organs to show signs of decline, affecting fertility and overall health. Rapamycin, a drug known to slow aging in various animal models, has also been shown to delay ovarian aging. However, how it works remains unclear. Recent discoveries suggest that gut microbiota, the trillions of bacteria living in our intestines, play an important role. These microbes can influence hormone levels and produce substances called metabolites that impact ovarian function. Interestingly, rapamycin also alters the composition of gut bacteria, raising the possibility that some of its benefits on reproductive aging may be linked to changes in the gut. Our research aims to understand how gut bacteria and their metabolites might contribute to rapamycin’s effect to delay ovarian aging, using mice as a model. First, we will examine the ovaries of mice treated with rapamycin to see how the drug affects different cell types and overall ovarian function. Second, we will examine how rapamycin affects the gut microbiota and the metabolites they produce and explore how these changes may be linked to each other and to ovarian aging. Finally, we will test whether certain bacteria or metabolites can mimic the effects of rapamycin in delaying ovarian aging. This research will offer new insights into the role of gut bacteria in reproductive aging and may lead to the development of novel therapies, such as bioactive metabolites or probiotic supplements, to promote ovarian health and support healthy aging in women.
