What governs how fast we age? Why do some biological processes stop working earlier than others? And what is happening at the molecular and cellular level as some organisms age while others continue to thrive?

Although seemingly philosophical in nature, these questions address one of the major mysteries of biology, the process of aging. With recent developments in genetics, molecular biology, and genomics, we now have the possibility of addressing these questions at the molecular level. Because our ultimate goal is not simply to extend lifespan, but to improve overall health, we must identify the genes associated with biological functions that we typically associate with quality of life. The goal of our laboratory's work is to understand the molecular mechanisms governing longevity and maintenance of the biological processes that exhibit age-related decline.

Related People

Tess Jeffers
QCB Graduate Alumni
Coleen Murphy
Director of Lewis-Sigler Institute and Director of Paul F. Glenn Laboratories For Aging Research; Professor, Molecular Biology and the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics
April E. Williams
QCB Graduate Alumni