Research

Chenyang is a postdoctoral fellow in the Dixit Lab. Her research interests are related to the interconnection between the immune and metabolic systems which is important to balance metabolic homeostasis. Imbalances between these systems leads to chronic, low-grade systemic inflammation that results in the development of metabolic disorders. At the molecular level, the NLRP3 inflammasome–mediated inflammatory cytokines contribute to metabolic disorders. Her work is focused on finding metabolites that modulate NLRP3 or its downstream inflammatory cytokines and exploring its effects in the aging process.

Hee-Hoon is a postdoctoral associate in the Dixit lab. His primary focus revolves around discovering immunometabolic pathways with the potential to mitigate inflammation and extend health span. In particular, he delves into the characterization of both metabolic and immunological changes occurring within the adipose tissue microenvironment during the aging process, utilizing a novel healthy aging model organism.

Abby is a postdoctoral associate in the Dixit Lab. She is interested in understanding how persistent mitochondrial damage reprograms immunometabolism during aging and in age-related pathologies. The goals of her research in the lab are to 1) characterize mitochondria-controlled immune-metabolic checkpoints in senescence and aging using dietary interventions; 2) understand mitochondria-regulated immune-metabolic crosstalk in inter-organ communication required for longevity; and 3) identify novel molecular targets for clinical application to attenuate inflammaging.

Manish is a postdoctoral associate in the Dixit lab. His research attempts to investigate the functional contribution of adipose tissue cellular milieu, notably immune cells, in the aging process. Since adipose tissue is highly innervated; his interest extends to further explore the significance of neuro-immune interactions in the aging biology and how these cellular talk, if so, regulate pathogenesis seen during infection with neurotropic viruses. Through his research, he aspires to understand the underlying elements responsible for the aging process and associated disorders.

Lucie is a postdoctoral fellow in the Dixit lab. From her PhD experience, Lucie wanted to pursue investigating the interplay between systemic and cellular immunometabolism. In the Dixit lab, her work focuses on the role of amino acids metabolism and its derivatives in the adipose tissue during metabolic homeostasis and age-related inflammation. More precisely, she is interested in studying the role gamma-glutamyl peptides may play in adipose tissue function.

My research work is focused on studying the interactions between inflammation and metabolism, age-related thymic involution and degenerative disorders in the elderly, and centered on the understanding the role of hormones on the regulation of the immune system.

My studies unveil the molecular underpinnings of Immune-metabolic interactions at multiple aspects:

1. The NlRP3 inflammasome as an upstream target that control age-related inflammation and offer and innovative therapeutic strategy to lower NLRP3 activity to delay multiple age-related chronic diseases. I have discovered that increased activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, a unique innate sensor in specialized cells called macrophages is responsible for the functional decline in the aging process (published in Cell Metabolism and Cell Reports).
2. Use of low carbohydrate or ketogenic diets could be relevant against several inflammatory disorders and pharmacological manipulation of BHB might be viable strategy for reducing inflammation. I also discovered that a special diet that increases ketone bodies (our body’s alternate fuel that is derived from fat) can inhibit this inflammasome complex and alleviate inflammatory disease (published in Nature Medicine 2016).
3. I have been involved in the identifying the role of FGF21, a novel pro-longevity hormone in regulation of lifespan and healthspan. I have generated majority of the preliminary data and animal models in this project. I also discovered that FGF21 a hormone that increases lifespan in mice can rejuvenate the immune system in the aged (published in PNAS 2016).