Matthew Gill

Studies in the nematode C. elegans have been at the forefront of many fundamental discoveries in biology and pioneering work from many labs on the genetic regulation of lifespan in worms has been instrumental in demonstrating that aging is a tractable process that can be targeted therapeutically. My research program uses a combination of genetic, chemical and biochemical approaches to discover novel signaling pathways in C. elegans that impact development and aging. A previous example of this is the identification of a novel endocannabinoid signaling pathway in C. elegans. Current work in the lab is focused on the characterization of a novel decoy insulin receptor in C. elegans that arises via alternative splicing. We are now focusing on the splicing mechanisms that give rise to this novel isoform, as well as translational studies to investigate mammalian truncated insulin receptors. This work has the potential to uncover a new molecular mechanism by which insulin resistance arises.

• BSc, Biochemistry, Newcastle University, UK (1993)
• PhD, Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Manchester, UK (1997)
• Medical Research Council Training Fellow (1998-2001)
• Brookdale National Fellow (2002-2003)
• Post-doc, C. elegans, Buck Institute for Research on Aging