David Walker

David Walker's primary research goal is to better understand the basic biology of the aging process. Advanced age is the greatest risk factor for most cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. However, it has proven difficult to infer the relative_importance of the many processes that contribute to aging. We are using the powerful genetics of the fruit fly Drosophila to better understand the molecular biology of aging. Many of the features that we associate with aging in mammals are recapitulated in the fly (at a much quicker rate). Using a combination of molecular genetic and biochemical tools, we seek to identify genes and cellular pathways that modulate the rate of aging. The long-term aim of this research is to provide novel therapeutic targets to counteract age-related human diseases.

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