Faculty Sponsor: David Rand

Brian will use Drosophila (fruit flies) to investigate how dietary protein, fat, and sugar, collectively impact the rate of aging. The same processes that utilize these three dietary compounds for energy also generate harmful molecules, called reactive oxygen species (ROS) that damage the organism’s DNA, thereby accelerating the aging process. By measuring the amount of each compound present in these flies for utilization, and comparing this to previous data showing the rate of aging, Brian will explore how dietary compounds can either accelerate or slow the physiological decline associated with aging.