Advancing Research
by funding Grant Programs and Fellowships
Driving Innovation
by guiding studies such as the FAST Initiative, the SuperAgers Initiative, and the TAME Trial
Furthering the Field
by supporting the infrastructure of three NIA Initiatives and leading the Amplifying Geroscience Initiative.
Top Breakthroughs driven by AFAR Experts
Delaying Disease by Targeting Aging
Saving Costs by Extending Healthspan
What are the Hallmarks of Aging?
How and Why Do We Age?
What is Geroscience?
What is the Longevity Dividend?
What's Next in aging research?
Lipid secretion from key metabolic tissues, such as the liver and the intestine, is an important process that facilitates lipid transport to peripheral tissues. However, the role of lipid secretion in the maintenance and homeostasis of metabolic tissues remains unknown. Using the worm C. elegans as a model system, Dr. Lapierre’s lab is investigating how lipid-transporting lipoproteins affect lifespan.
Dr. Lapierre and his group recently found that elevated lipoprotein production (i.e. biogenesis) negatively affects the ability of an animal to live long. It does so in part by blocking the induction of autophagy, the digestion of cellular constituents.
Dr. Lapierre’s group seeks to elucidate how changes in the lipid profile of an animal affect autophagy and ultimately longevity. By determining the lipid makeup of animals with reduced lipoprotein biogenesis, the group aims to find novel lipid species that can increase longevity. They also hope their study will provide a rationale for developing therapeutics that can control lipoprotein biogenesis to prevent various diseases related to aging.
