Stephen L Helfand is the George D. Eggleston Endowed Professor of Biochemistry at Brown University, where he serves as Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry and Vice-Chair of Research in the Department of Neurology. His work focuses on the molecular genetics of aging , using Drosophila melanogaster to investigate how chromatin changes, transposable elements, and metabolic pathways like the INDY gene influence longevity and age-related diseases. Education: BS (1975) and MD (1979) from Stanford University and Albert Einstein College of Medicine Key Research Areas: Mechanisms of aging Chromatin remodeling Transposable elements in aging Metabolic regulation of lifespan Neurodegenerative disease models His 15 most recent articles (2019-2011) highlight interdisciplinary work bridging genetics, epigenetics, and metabolism. Common themes include chromatin dynamics , mitochondrial function , and transposable element activation in aging, with applications to human diseases like Alzheimer's. Scientific Awards Glenn Awards (2007-2009, 2014-2016) MERIT Award (2004-2016) Fellow of AAAS (2017) and Gerontological Society of America (2017) NIH grants (R01AG067306, R01AG024353, P01AG051449) He contributes to translational neuroscience and aging research through affiliations with Brown University's Center for Computational Molecular Biology , Carney Institute for Brain Science , and Center for Translational Neuroscience . His lab has developed rapid assays for lifespan-extending interventions and demonstrated connections between sirtuins, caloric restriction, and p53 regulation.











