Dr. Cypser's research uses the positive relationship between stress resistance and aging to identify new genes that modulate lifespan and age-related physiological decline (such as grip strength). While the maximum well-documented human life span is 122 years, much remains to be learned about 'healthspan', that is, the genes and environmental influences that make the difference between aging successfully or becoming a burden on the healthcare system prematurely. Genes that comprise drug targets for specific age-related diseases might be identified within the larger set that extends lifespan in model organisms. Dr. Cypser's work aims to find such genes.
keywords
Genetics of aging, using the mouse, fly, and nematode models; induced stress resistance (hormesis), the correlation between stress resistance and rate of aging, heat shock proteins, and the role of xenobiotics (as nutriceuticals) in postponing aging via the Nrf2 / skn-1 gene
