Robert Cumming
Profile: Associate Professor, Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario
Research Interests:
The Cumming lab focuses on mechanisms of aging and neurodegeneration. We are currently examining the role of aerobic glycolysis in regulating memory and susceptibility to neurotoxins in cell culture and mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease. We also study redox regulation of the antioxidant response in cell culture models of Huntington’s disease. In addition, we are determining the effect of expression of p66shc, a gene that regulates the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lifespan in mammals, on redox processes linked to cytoskeletal remodeling. Metabolic reprogramming and regulation of ROS levels are now emerging as major determinates of aging and disease processes.