Kapahi Lab
The Science The Institute The Science Get Involved Healthy aging

Pankaj Kapahi, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Mechanisms of regulation of lifespan and metabolism by nutrient manipulationn

The overall focus of the Kapahi laboratory is to understand the molecular mechanisms of aging. Dietary restriction (DR) is a robust environmental method of lifespan extension in species as diverse as yeast, worms, fruit flies and rodents. Our laboratory was the first to identify the role of target of rapamycin (TOR) in mediating lifespan extension by DR. We propose that changes in mRNA translation downstream of the TOR pathway are key mediators  of its lifespan effects. We are employing an interdisciplinary approach combining biochemical, genetic and genomic techniques, to understand how DR mediates changes in lifespan and metabolism using Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans and mammalian cell culture. Due to its robustness and strong conservation across species, identifying the molecular mechanisms that modulate lifespan upon DR holds great promise to find potential targets for enhancing healthspan in humans. Our work also has the broader significance to help uncover the role of nutrition and identify therapeutics for age-related human diseases like cancer, diabetes and neurodegeneration.

For a detailed list of projects see Research Focus.

Pkapahi@buckinstitute.org

8001 Redwood Blvd,
Novato, 94945, CA.
415-209-2201
 

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