Research Interests:
Accumulating evidence indicates that loss of epigenetic information is a primary driver of aging. Recent breakthroughs from our lab and others have demonstrated that partial reprogramming is capable of restoring the epigenome of aged cells to a youthful state without loss of cell identity. My research focuses on elucidating the mechanism that allows cells to re-access a memory of youthful epigenetic information during partial reprogramming. Additionally, I am testing novel applications for in vivo partial reprogramming to enhance tissue homeostasis during aging, such as targeted reprogramming strategies to reverse cellular senescence. These studies will provide key insights into the reversibility of epigenetic aging, which we hope will pave the way for therapeutic avenues to prevent and treat age-related diseases to extend healthy human lifespan.