Research in our lab explores the changes in biological activity caused by light exposure, or 'photobiomodulation'. Our projects are designed to evaluate the potential therapeutic effectiveness of near-infrared light in the treatment of aging, neurotoxicity, and neurodegenerative disorders.

• Organelles called mitochondria conduct metabolic processes essential for cell survival, but they also produce the majority of reactive oxygen species that can damage proteins, lipids, and DNA. This damage is known as oxidative stress.

• Research has implicated oxidative stress as a significant contributing factor in the etiology and/or exacerbation of aging, neurotoxicity, and neurodegenerative disorders.

• Mitochondria demonstrate photoreceptivity for particular wavelengths of light, and treating cultured neurons with one of these wavelengths (670 nm) results in improved mitochondrial functioning and increased survivability of the neurons exposed to oxidative stress-inducing toxins.

• Our current research seeks to evaluate the utility of 670 nm photobiomodulation in the treatment of aging, neurotoxicity, and neurodegenerative disorders by assessing the effects of photoirradiation on metabolic processes and oxidative stress in Drosophila melanogaster.