Renã A. S. Robinson

Bioanalytical Chemistry, Mass Spectrometry, Proteomics, Ion Mobility Spectrometry

Insight to the mechanisms of aging and immunosenescence with proteomics

The Robinson group utilizes biochemistry, analytical, and bioinformatics tools to analyze complex mixtures isolated from mammalian and human systems.  Aging is one of our interest areas because a fundamental understanding of this phenomenon is lacking.   One particular detriment of human aging is “immunosenescence”, the inevitable loss of functional capacity within the immune system.  This phenomenon is associated with the pathogenesis of age-related diseases including neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and muscular/skeletal disorders, and leads to a greater susceptibility to infections, tumors, and possibly cancer.  We are using proteomics to delineate the molecular basis of aging and peripheral immune system changes which occur during aging.  Investigating the aspects of successful aging and immunosenescence allows us to 1) understand  the factors that change in response to the onset of abnormalities or disease, including age-related neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and, 2) identify novel targets that may be useful as anti-aging therapeutics and as preventative treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.