As human longevity increases, understanding the mechanisms that drive aging becomes ever more critical. We study the premature aging disorder Hutchinson Gilford Progeria Syndrome to gain molecular insights into aging, focusing on the nuclear scaffold protein lamin A and its proteolytic processing enzyme ZMPSTE24, since mutations in either can cause progeria. Additionally, a decline in cellular proteostasis is a hallmark of aging. We leverage the power of yeast genetics to identify cellular machinery that regulates protein turnover in cells as they age.
Susan Michaelis, Ph.D.
