Nancy M. Bonini

Nancy M. Bonini, Ph.D., is the Florence R.C. Murray Professor of Biology in the School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and holds secondary appointments in Cell & Developmental Biology and Neuroscience at the Perelman School of Medicine.

Education:

• A.B. Biology, Princeton University, 1981
• Ph.D. Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1987
• Postdoctoral Fellow, California Institute of Technology (Neurogenetics), 1988–1994

Research Focus:
The Bonini laboratory exploits the power of Drosophila melanogaster genetics to identify conserved genes and pathways that protect the nervous system from degeneration. By introducing human disease genes into flies, the lab replicates late-onset, progressive neurodegeneration seen in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, ALS/FTD and age-related cognitive decline. Central themes include:

• Molecular chaperones and protein-folding pathways that mitigate toxic protein aggregation.
• microRNA-mediated gene regulation in aging and neurodegeneration.
• Epigenetic dysregulation in Alzheimer’s disease and its intersection with normal aging.
• RNA toxicity and repeat-associated non-ATG translation in CAG/polyQ disorders.
• Metabolic and sleep disturbances linked to TDP-43 and Ataxin-2 dysfunction.
• Axonal injury responses and the role of Nmnat in maintaining neuronal integrity.

Publication Landscape:
Across 139 peer-reviewed publications (1986–2024), Bonini’s work spans high-impact journals such as Nature, Science, Cell, Nature Genetics, PNAS and Nature Neuroscience. Early papers established Drosophila polyQ models and identified Hsp70 as a potent suppressor of neural degeneration. Mid-career studies broadened to Parkinson’s α-synuclein toxicity, RNA toxicity in spinocerebellar ataxia, and CREB-binding protein effects on repeat instability. Recent output integrates multi-omics, single-cell and epigenomic approaches to dissect Alzheimer’s disease, glial senescence, m6A/m1A RNA modifications and metabolic dysfunction in sleep.

Scientific Honors & Awards:

• NIH R35 Outstanding Investigator Award (2016)
• Glenn Award for Research in the Biological Mechanisms of Aging (2015)
• Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2014)
• Member, National Academy of Medicine (2012)
• Member, National Academy of Sciences (2012)
• Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2012)
• Ellison Medical Foundation Senior Scholar Award in Aging Research (2009)
• NIH EUREKA Award (2009)
• David & Lucile Packard Fellowship for Science & Engineering (1997)
• Basil O’Connor Starter Scholar Award, March of Dimes (1996)
• John Merck Scholars Award in the Biology of Developmental Disabilities in Children (1995)

Funding & Mentorship:
Bonini has sustained continuous NIH and private foundation support for over three decades. Her lab has trained a large cohort of graduate students and postdocs who have gone on to independent positions in academia and industry. She teaches advanced courses in Molecular Biology & Genetics (BIOL 221) and Molecular Genetics of Neurological Diseases (BIOL 466), integrating cutting-edge research into graduate and undergraduate curricula.

Laboratory & Resources:
The Bonini Lab is housed in the Carolyn Lynch and Leidy Laboratories at the University of Pennsylvania, equipped with state-of-the-art Drosophila genetics, molecular biology, imaging and multi-omics platforms. The group maintains extensive fly stocks, transgenic lines and genomic datasets that are shared with the broader scientific community. Collaborative networks span Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine, the Mahoney Institute of Neurological Sciences, and numerous national and international consortia focused on neurodegeneration.