The Aging Biology & Behavior (ABB) laboratory is directed by Dr. Judith E. Carroll, a faculty member at the UCLA Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology. The primary mission of the ABB is to conduct research that measures the biological aging process and tests the role of behavioral factors in modifying accelerated aging. To do this, the lab has three primary functions:
Serve as an intellectual and analytic resource to UCLA researchers and external collaborators in the area of biobehavioral science and aging biology.
- Complete assays that measure components of biological aging, including:
- Epigenetic aging
- DNA damage/Cell stress
- Cellular senescence
- Telomere length
- Telomerase activity
In collaboration with the UCLA Social Genomics Core Laboratory, under the direction of Dr. Steve Cole, apply bioinformatics approaches to gene expression data to infer transcription factor activity of aging-related pathways.
- Train researchers in the techniques and concepts important for conducting research in biobehavioral science and aging biology.
Dr. Carroll holds the Endowed George F. Solomon Professorship in Psychobiology at UCLA, is faculty of the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, and the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. She began her faculty appointment in 2013 at UCLA supported by a K01 mentored research award from NIA. She has sustained support for her research and laboratory since then with grant support from NCI, American Cancer Society, NIA and the STOP Cancer fund. Her research seek to understand the interaction of psychological and behavioral factors with aging biology.
