TMP Seminar Series
May 19 at 12:10 pm – 1:10 pm PDT
Presented by Washington State University – Department of Translational Medicine & Physiology
Environmental Stress Perception in Metabolism and Aging
May 19, 2026
12:10–1:10 p.m. PDT
SAC 147 or Zoom
Talk Abstract
An organism’s ability to perceive and respond to its environment is crucial for its long-term health and survival. This talk will explore the conditions, mechanisms, and downstream effects of various environmental perturbations and how they may be leveraged to slow the aging process. From host-microbiome interactions to food cue neural networks to metabolic rewiring, it will touch on the many connections between environmental responses and physiological changes.
Speaker
Scott Leiser, PhD, Associate Professor of Molecular & Integrative Physiology and Associate Director of the Physiology Graduate Program at the University of Michigan.
Research in Dr. Scott Leiser’s laboratory is focused on the molecular mechanisms of aging, with an emphasis on stress response and metabolism. The Leiser lab works with multiple models, including Caenorhabditis elegans, in vitro tissue culture, and mice, to better understand the conserved mechanisms of aging. Recent research in his laboratory focuses on how organisms perceive and respond to environmental stress though cell non autonomous signaling mechanisms, and how these signals affect the metabolism, health, and longevity of the animal. These studies have led to extensive work on the flavin containing monooxygenase family of enzymes, initially studied for xenobiotic metabolism but more recently found to have endogenous roles in metabolism and aging. Dr. Leiser has been studying geroscience for nearly 25 years now, having completed his PhD at the University of Michigan with Dr. Richard Miller in 2009 and completing postdoctoral training with Dr. Matt Kaeberlein at the University of Washington in 2015. He currently serves as Associate Professor of Molecular & Integrative Physiology and Associate Director of the Physiology Graduate Program at the University of Michigan, in addition to Vice Chair of the American Aging Association and Vice Chair Elect of the Gerontological Association of America.