I study the meeting point of two parts of our biology: aging and our immune system (called immunology). Our bodies have a type of white blood cell called a “macrophage”. As we age, all of our cells, including our macrophages, age with us. Macrophages play a very important role throughout our body, doing things like fighting disease and regulating tissues. As macrophages get older, they start to behave differently. These changes may play a really important role in how and why we age. I research processes like this, and look for new treatments we can use to fight back against aging.

I design experiments to help us understand how certain cells behave at different ages. Once we think we have a good understanding, we look for and test treatments that might help those cells stay healthy for longer. I use advanced lab equipment to peer inside cells and apply statistics to make sense of what’s happening and why.

Aging is a biological process, and while there’s a lot we don’t understand, it’s possible that it can (to some degree) be controlled. Aging is also the cause of many diseases, and as we get older, our immune systems often start to fail or dysfunction. These two systems are connected. If we can figure out how they work and what types of treatments can stop or reverse aging-related damage to our bodies, then we can work towards longer, healthier lives for everyone. In our lab specifically, we hope our research will lead to new therapies to treat diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.