Basil P Hubbard

Biography

Basil P Hubbard is an Assistant Professor belongs to the Department of Pharmacology from the University of Alberta Education: BSc (Hons), Biochemistry, University of Ottawa, 2005 PhD, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard University, 2011 Teaching: PMCOL300, PMCOL401/402*

Research Interest

Biological aging is one of the greatest enigmas of the life sciences. While the aging process is ubiquitous in nature, maximum lifespans for different organisms vary widely from a day for the mayfly, to over one thousand years for the bristlecone pine. For model organisms such as yeast, worms, and flies, both lifespan and the onset of age-associated phenotypic changes can be altered experimentally in the laboratory. For mammals such as humans, aging is marked by a complex series of declines in physiological function, and an increase in the incidence of diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes. The goal of the Hubbard lab is to identify pharmacological agents to prevent and treat age-related diseases, and promote longevity. To accomplish this objective, we develop biochemical assays to report on the activity of central longevity pathways, and decompose specific aspects of age-related disease into in vitro systems. Using high-throughput small molecule screening and macromolecular protein engineering and evolution, we then attempt to identify agents that can perturb these systems. Positive hits are investigated in vivo for potential therapeutic value, and as tools to garner further insight into the mechanisms underlying age-related disease.