The candidate was trained as a biochemist at UCLA where he specialized in studies of oxidative damage in yeast. Dr. Longo has spent the past three years as a PI of a funded yeast laboratory and as a Research Associate/Assistant Professor working on Alzheimer?s Disease-related projects. The candidate?s long-term career goals are to be a faculty member in a neuroscience program and to continue research on aging. He is applying for the K01 Award in Aging to develop his research skills and knowledge in the neuroscience field with particular focus on the fundamental mechanisms of oxidative damage in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Caleb. Finch, Prof. of Gerontology, Neuroscience, and Molecular Biology at the Andrus Gerontology Center, will act as Dr. Longo?s mentor along with Prof. Kelvin Davies. The international stature of these faculty members in the field of aging, oxidative stress, and neurodegenerative diseases, make this environment ideal for the development of Dr. Longo expertise in these fields. Dr Longo will participate in the bimonthly chalk talks in the Neurobiology and Endocrinology of Aging, will attend the weekly research seminars and journal clubs in USC?s multidisciplinary neuroscience program, and will attend a course on the responsible conduct of research. The candidate will also be exposed to clinical studies on cognitive changes during normal aging and during Alzheimer disease (AD). The research project """"""""4 Iron-4 Sulfur Clusters in Aging and Alzheimer?s Disease"""""""" proposes to test the hypothesis that the 4Fe-4S clusters, contained in certain dehydratase enzymes sensitive to superoxide toxicity, are a major source of the redox-active iron that mediates oxidative damage during aging and in Alzheimer?s Disease. This hypothesis will be tested by measuring redox-active iron in animal models for AD and by determining the contribution of 4Fe-4S clusters to the pool of redox-active iron and to oxidative damage and death in neurons and neuronal cell lines exposed to oxidants and beta amyloid.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Scientist Development Award - Research & Training (K01)
Project #
5K01AG001028-03
Application #
6648508
Study Section
National Institute on Aging Initial Review Group (NIA)
Program Officer
Snyder, Stephen D
Project Start
2001-09-30
Project End
2005-08-31
Budget Start
2003-09-01
Budget End
2004-08-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$101,395
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Southern California
Department
Type
Other Domestic Higher Education
DUNS #
072933393
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90089
Michán, Shaday; Li, Ying; Chou, Maggie Meng-Hsiu et al. (2010) SIRT1 is essential for normal cognitive function and synaptic plasticity. J Neurosci 30:9695-707