Laboratory Research: One of the most important decisions that a cell can make during both developmental and pathological processes is the choice between continued survival and death. For the normal processes of life to occur, cell survival mechanisms must function to oppose cell death. Drosophila has become an ideal model organism in which to manipulate programmed cell death to model disease and the fundamental basis of ageing.

With this in mind, improvement in the standard "state of being", establishing an enhanced homeostasis, complete with a long and healthy life, would be our ultimate achievement, the objectives of our research program involve several closely related goals.

1) Our research strives to understand the phenomenon of cell survival and the signalling mechanisms that prevent cell death and contribute to longevity.

2) We are developing an understanding of the subtlety of the cellular decisions that control and differentiate between cell survival, cell growth and continued living.

3) As mitochondria require lipids, we are carrying out an analysis of the consequences of lipid transport during mitochondrial biogenesis throughout life.

4) We investigate the influence of mitochondrial protein import and mitochondrial health upon longevity.

5) We analyse the effects of mitochondrial protein transport upon healthy ageing through vesicle formation.

6) We are characterizing the enzyme/chaperone-dependent control of mitochondrial protein quality throughout life.

7) Due to the fundamental importance of cell death mechanisms in neurodegeneration, we are developing models of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson and Huntington Disease and ALS and we are acting to counteract the consequences of neurodegeneration.

The mechanisms that distinguish between cell death and cell survival and enhanced homeostasis are of fundamental importance to many aspects of biology. The origins of many human diseases may be due to errors in these basic biological functions.

Laboratory Research Grants (2  current plus 3 recently completed)

National Science and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grant Program (individual)  “Signalling mechanisms integrating cell survival, organismal growth and stress-resistance in Drosophila” $31,000 per year for six years [Extended: Covid-19] (April 1, 2016-March 31, 2022) Total $186,000

Memorial University of Newfoundland Seed, Bridge and Multidisciplinary Fund Memorial University of Newfoundland Seed Funding (Type II)  "Mitochondrial health and enhanced longevity in ageing Drosophila" $10,000 in total over two years (September 22, 2020 – September 21, 2022) Total $10,000

Aging Research Centre - Newfoundland and Labrador ARC-NL Research Grant  “Enhanced longevity and mitochondrial health in Drosophila models of Aging” $10,000 (September 1, 2020 - November 30, 2021) Total $10,000

Memorial University of Newfoundland Seed, Bridge and Multidisciplinary Fund  Memorial University of Newfoundland Seed Funding “Novel aspects of intracellular trafficking in Drosophila models of Parkinson Disease” $10,000 (January 25, 2018- January 24, 2020) Total $10,000

Parkinson Society of Newfoundland and Labrador “Novel aspects of intracellular trafficking in Drosophila models of Parkinson Disease” $10,000 (January 1, 2019- December 31, 2019) Total $10,000