Grant: Operating Grant

Throughout human evolution, one question has remained constant: can we live forever? We are continuously bombarded with products, diets and exercise regimens that supposedly add years to our life. Can this be? Is there an alterable program, whether genetic or environmental, that can be tweaked to allow longer life? Advances in modern medicine have certainly led to a dramatic increase in average lifespan over the last century. However, the maximum human lifespan has curiously remained constant. Research out of many laboratories indicates that in a variety of organisms a genetic program exists to control lifespan. The conservation of this genetic lifespan program extends into the brewing yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, where numerous longevity genes have been isolated and characterized. Interestingly, mutations that increase genomic stability, glucose utilization or oxidative stress resistance have been demonstrated to extend lifespan in yeast, as well as in flies and worms. Our research examines genes in yeast that affect longevity by altering DNA/chromatin structure, cell cycle progression or the protein degradation pathway. When these genes are mutated, yeast cells suffer a reduced lifespan. These genes are also found in multicellular organisms. Our goal is to better understand the molecular mechanisms in yeast, so we can apply our findings to higher organisms, including humans.