Andrew Pickering

Andrew Pickering, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology at McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Houston. He directs the Geroscience Core at the Institute on Aging, overseeing initiatives like the Annual Symposium on Aging Research and the Harry E. Bovay, Jr. Foundation Pilot Grants Program, which funds junior faculty in aging research.

His research centers on proteostasis in aging and neurodegeneration. Key areas include:

• Proteasome dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease and development of proteasome-activating therapeutics
• Mitochondrial thioredoxin systems as metabolic regulators and lifespan extenders
• Protein translation dynamics, where early-life repression extends lifespan via juvenile hormone pathways
• Cross-species mechanisms of aging using Drosophila, mice, and comparative biology

His recent publications (2019-2024) focus on proteasome augmentation therapies for Alzheimer's, translational regulation of aging, mitochondrial metabolism, and microbiome impacts on neurodegeneration. These reflect a consistent theme: targeting proteostatic mechanisms to combat age-related functional decline.

Dr. Pickering leads the Pickering Aging Lab, investigating aging drivers through biochemical, genetic, and pharmacological approaches. The lab collaborates with clinical researchers to translate findings into therapeutic strategies for age-related diseases.