Aging

Dr. S. Michal Jazwinski (sjazwi@lsuhsc.edu)
— Professor
Molecular and cell biology of DNA replication in budding yeast; DNA enzymology; regulation of DNA replication; biochemical analysis of cell division cycle control and cellular aging in yeast. Could yeast show us the secrets to the aging process? Caloric restriction, which is the reduction of caloric intake without malnutrition, is a time proven method for extending the life span of mammals and postponing the manifestations of aging, including both functional decline and age-related diseases. Much is know about the physiological changes that occur in animals subjected to caloric restriction, but molecular mechanisms involved in this phenomenon are poorly understood because of the lack of workable experimental models. Dr. Jazwinski has developed the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as an experimental model for the molecular analysis of the aging process. He has discovered that manipulating the nutritional intake of yeast cells can increase their life spans, providing a useful model for the molecular analysis of caloric restriction. Not only has Dr. Jazwinski shown that caloric restriction extends the life span of these cells but also postpones many of the physical manifestations of aging.

This work in yeast is being complemented by studies on centenarians at the LSUHSC Center on Aging where Dr. Jazwinski is a director. The focus of this center is "successful aging." As a regional facility, the Center on Aging provides geriatric care, research, faculty education, and policy planning. Interdisciplinary clinics assess care for the elderly and focus on prevention of the decline of function. Research facilities host interactive studies in the fields of genetics, molecular biology, physiology, clinical sciences, social services, care delivery and policy planning as they relate to aging. Click here to learn more about Dr. Jazwinski's research.