Aging Laboratory Institute of Behavioral Genetics Life Sciences Research Bldgs #1 and #4 Department of Integrative Physiology University of Colorado Boulder, CO 80309-0447 phone: 303-492-5159 fax: 303-492-8063

Research Interests

• The study of aging using the mouse and the nematode worm (Caenorhabditis elegans) as models.
• The nematode is an excellent system for identifying new longevity genes.
• The mouse studies focus on the physiological basis of the effects of food restriction on life span.
• See our detailed IBG research page for the most up-to-date information.

Personnel

• Director: Thomas E. Johnson, Ph.D.


• Research Associates: Brad Rikke, Ph.D., James Cypser, Ph.D., Alexander Mendenhall, Ph.D., Sang-kyu Park, Ph.D.


• Professional Research Assistants: Hali Broncuci, B.S., Nancy Phares-Zook, M.A., Vishantie Sudama, B.S., Patricia Tedesco, B.A.


• Doctoral Student: Larry Taylor, B.S.

Current Worm Research Projects

• Demographic Models and Analyses - Examination of the mortality kinetics as a function of age in large populations of normal and mutant nematodes and in different environmental conditions.
  
  
• Stress Resistance and Life Span - Examination of the relations between life span and stress resistance, using comparative studies of stress resistance versus longevity, stress reporter lines, and forward genetic screens for stress-resistant mutants.

Funding for Worm Projects

• 1995-2010, NIH/NIA, "Oldest-Old Mortality: Demographic Models and Analyses."
• 1999-2010, NIH/NIA, "Molecular Genetics of Aging in C. Elegans."
• 2009, Glenn Foundation Grant.

Current Mouse Research Projects

• Identification of QTLs Specifying Food Restriction in the Mouse.

Funding for Mouse Projects

• 2004-2010, NIH/NIA, "Genetic and Molecular Basis of Longevity."

Videos

Recent Publications

• Bennett B, Carosone-Link P, Beeson M, Gordon L, Phares-Zook N, Johnson TE. Genetic dissection of QTLs for ethanol sensitivity in long- and short-sleep mice. Genes, Brain, and Behavior 7: 659-668, 2008.


• Budovskaya YV, Wu K, Southworth LK, Jiang M, Tedesco P, Johnson TE, Kim SK. An elt-3/elt-5/elt-6 GATA transcription circuit guides aging in C. elegans. Cell 134: 291-303, 2008.


• Yanase, S, Onodear A, Tedesco P, Johnson TE, Ishii N. SOD-1 deletions in Caenorhabditis elegans alter the localization of intracellular ROS and show molecular compensation. Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 64(5): 530-539, 2008.


• Parker CC, Ponicsan H, Spencer RL, Holmes A, Johnson TE. Restraint stress and exogenous corticosterone differentially alter sensitivity to the sedative-hypnotic effects of ethanol in ILSinbred long-sleep and inbred short-sleepISS mice. Alcohol 42: 477-485, 2008.


• Downing C, Balderrama-Durbin C, Hayes J, Johnson TE, Gilliam D. No effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on activity in three inbred strains of mice. Alcohol and Alcoholism 44:25-33, 2009.


• Asencio C, Navas P, Cabello J, Schnabel R, Cypser JR, Johnson TE, Rodriguez-Aguillera JC. Coenzyme Q supports distinct developmental processes in Caenorhabditis elegans. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 130:145-153, 2009.


• Park SK, Tedesco PM, Johnson TE. Oxidative stress and longevity in C. elegans as mediated by SKN-1. Aging Cell 8: 258-269, 2009.


• Downing C, Balderrama-Durbin C, Broncucia H, Gilliam D, Johnson TE. Ethanol teratogenesis in five inbred strains of mice. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 33: 1238-1245, 2009.


• Ventura N, Rea, SL, Schiavi A, Torgovnick A, Testi, R, Johnson TE. p53/CEP-1 increases or decreases lifespan, depending on level of mitochondrial bioenergetic stress. Aging Cell 8: 380 - 393, 2009.