email: davidwalker@ucla.edu
phone: 310-825-7179
office: 3360 Life Science Building
research interests: Molecular mechanisms relevant to aging
Education
B.Sc., Genetics (1st Class), Queens University of Belfast, UK 1995
M.Res., Molecular Biology, University of Manchester, UK 1996
Ph.D., Genetics, University of Manchester, UK 2000
Research Interests
The mechanisms that cause the deterioration of cellular functions during the aging process remain poorly understood. Alterations in mitochondrial energy metabolism may be particularly important because it affects a wide range of cellular processes, and any defect will have widespread consequences within the cell. Our lab is using the powerful genetics of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to better understand the role of mitochondria in health and longevity. Drosophila has proven to be an invaluable resource for understanding many molecular and cellular mechanisms of human disease, powered by versatile gene discovery methods and a biology that has much in common with that of humans. The long-term aim of this research is to provide novel therapeutic targets to counteract age-related human diseases.
Selected Publications
Copeland J.M. , Cho, J., Lo, T., Hur, J.H., Bahadorani, S., Arabyan, T., Rabie, T., Soh, J. and Walker, D.W.. 2009. Extension of Drosophila life span by RNAi of the mitochondrial respiratory chain Curr Biol 19 1591-1598 .
Hull-Thompson J, Muffat J, Sanchez D, Walker DW, Benzer S, Ganfornina MD, Jasper H.. 2009. Control of metabolic homeostasis by stress signaling is mediated by the lipocalin NLaz PLoS Genetics 5 e1000460- .
Muffat J, Walker DW, Benzer S.. 2008. Human ApoD, an apolipoprotein up-regulated in neurodegenerative diseases, extends lifespan and increases stress resistance in Drosophila PNAS 105 7088-7093 .
Walker, D.W.. 2008. Achieving Immortality American Scientist 96 338-340 .
Walker, D.W., Muffat, J., Rundel, C. and Benzer, S.. 2006. Overexpression of a Drosophila homolog of Apolipoprotein D leads to increased stress resistance and extended lifespan Current Biology 16 674-679 .
Walker, D.W., Hajek, P, Knoepfle, D, Muffat, J, Attardi, G and Benzer, S.. 2006. Hypersensitivity to oxygen and shortened lifespan in a Drosophila mitochondrial complex II mutant PNAS 103 16382-16387 .
Walker, D.W. and Benzer, S.. 2004. Mitochondrial "swirls" induced by oxygen stress and in the Drosophila mutant hyperswirl PNAS 101 10290-10295 .
Walker D.W., McColl G., Jenkins N. L., Harris J. and Lithgow G. J.. 2000. Evolution of lifespan in C. elegans Nature 405 296-297 .