Dr. Terry Snell, Professor and Interim Chair of Biology, was awarded a $1.4 million research grant by the National Institute of Aging for a 5 year project starting September 1. The main objective of this project is to develop a new invertebrate model to better understand the biology of aging. The focus of his investigation is a small, aquatic animal called a rotifer. These invertebrates have a number of life cycle features that make them attractive to investigate the mechanisms of aging, the effects of reproductive mode (asexual versus sexual) on longevity, and the cellular and molecular processes of senescence. He and his collaborators will identify new genes associated with rotifer aging and search for their homologs in humans. The impact of diapause on rotifer aging will also be investigated by examining the mechanisms by which diapause alters tissue homeostasis, suspends metabolism during dormancy, and stimulates tissue repair following dormancy. The degree of aging observed in rotifers that have been kept dormant for 25 years will also be examined.