Research Projects

Aging is a complex process characterized by a decline in physiological functions, increasing the risk of chronic diseases and lowering the quality of life. Factors such as genetics, pharmacological, and dietary interventions influence aging, and identifying interventions that improve lifespan can help reduce the burden of aging-associated complex diseases. Dietary interventions can be a safe and easy-to-implement solution to tackle aging problems. Lipid metabolism plays a significant role in aging, so modulating host lipid metabolism through dietary interventions could be a good target for improving lifespan. This proposal aims to identify dietary interventions that enhance lifespan via modulating host lipid metabolism and discover host pathways and molecular mechanisms associated with this enhanced lifespan. The model Caenorhabditis elegans will be used as the host and E. coli as the diet, with E. coli mutants identified to enhance C. elegans lifespan. The effects of bacterial diet on host metabolism and transcriptome will be quantified, and the role of host longevity pathways will be assessed. The goal is to discover dietary interventions that enhance lifespan via modulation of host lipid metabolism and determine the underlying host molecular pathways.