Penn Researchers Find Yeast May Hold Clue to Aging

The single-celled microbes known as yeasts have long served as model systems for the puzzle that is the aging process, and in this week’s issue of Cell Metabolism, they fill in yet another piece.

The study, led by Daniel S. Och University Professor Shelley Berger, identifies a new molecular circuit that controls longevity in yeast and more complex organisms and suggests a therapeutic intervention that could mimic the lifespan-enhancing effect of caloric restriction with no dietary restrictions necessary.  Berger is a Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor who holds dual appointments in the Department of Biology in Penn Arts and Sciences and the Departments of Genetics and Cell and Developmental Biology in the Perelman School of Medicine.

The study involved researchers at Penn, the Wistar Institute, the University of Washington, the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, and the University Medical Center Utrecht. 

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Ellison Medical Foundation.

Read the full story here.

Arts & Sciences News

1 / 2
Tej Patel, C’25, W’25, and Sridatta Teerdhala, C’25, W’25, Selected as Marshall Scholars

The students, both part of the Roy and Diana Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management, will receive funding for up to three years of graduate study in the United Kingdom.

View Article >
$50 Million Legacy Gift to Penn Arts & Sciences Funds Undergraduate Aid

With an estate gift of more than $42 million, William J. Levy, a graduate of the Wharton School and Law School, has contributed $50 million in support of undergraduate students in the College.

View Article >
Jeffrey Kallberg Named Interim Dean of Penn Arts & Sciences

Kallberg, Deputy Dean and William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Music, will step into the role as of January 1, 2025.

View Article >
Josephine Nock-Hee Park Named Associate Dean for Arts and Letters

The School of Arts and Sciences President’s Distinguished Professor of English will oversee the School’s humanities departments and research centers.

View Article >
2024 Making a Difference in Global Communities and Klein Family Social Justice Grants Announced

The funding went to 11 projects from faculty in nine Penn Arts & Sciences departments, with work focusing on everything from better crime policy to a philosopher-in-residence program and psychology education in middle schools.

View Article >
Bo Zhen Named Jin K. Lee Presidential Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy

Zhen’s research focuses on the study of electromagnetic waves, such as light, in engineered environments.

View Article >