Peter J Mullen

Peter J Mullen is an Assistant Professor at the University of Southern California (USC) with dual appointments in the Keck School of Medicine and the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. His research bridges metabolism, aging, and disease mechanisms in viruses and cancer.

• Keck School of Medicine
• Leonard Davis School of Gerontology

Research Focus: Investigates how whole-body metabolism influences respiratory virus replication, cancer progression, and aging. Combines metabolomic, lipidomic, and genetic approaches to identify age- and sex-specific metabolic vulnerabilities.

• Age-related metabolic shifts
• Host-pathogen metabolic interactions
• Tumor metabolic microenvironment

Publications: Recent work includes creating a metabolic atlas of aging (2024) and uncovering links between asparagine metabolism and tumor growth (2021). His studies often intersect virology and oncology through metabolic lens.

Students: Mentors Ph.D. candidates Xuanyi Shi and Aeowynn Coakley, postdoctoral fellow Steven Pilley, and Master's student Preeti Iyengar.

Lab Location: Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute (Room 517), USC Keck medical campus, Los Angeles, CA.