"Genetic Analysis of Late-Life Phenotypes in a Mouse Population," David T. Burke, University of Michigan Department of Anthropology

While all elderly individuals experience disease and loss of physiological function, the health differences among the elderly are the result of complex interactions between cumulative environment, stochastic processes, and genetic variation. The understanding of the interplay between genes, environment, and aging remains a significant experimental challenge. Dr. Burke and his colleagues have developed a research program that uses the mouse to examine the physiology and genetics of aging. Since genomic information is constant for each individual throughout life, it may be possible for genetic variation to be assessed in early life and allow preventative or pre-symptomatic intervention to be tailored to the individual.

A recent Presidential Faculty Fellow of the National Science Foundation and a winner of the Searle Scholar Award, Dr. Burke is Associate Professor of Human Genetics and Associate Research Scientist for the Institute of Gerontology at the University of Michigan.

The Morrison Institute seeks to encourage interdisciplinary approaches to research, teaching, study, and public education in areas related to the global issues of population growth, environmental change, resource use, and economic development. Its Winter Colloquium seeks to stimulate the interest in these fields by offering these lectures during Winter Quarter each year for the Stanford community.