The Lab

A small team asking a big question.

We're an interdisciplinary group working across genomics, stem cell biology, and computational analysis — based in the Bioscience Research Building at the University of Maryland.

Dr. Kan Cao
Principal Investigator

Kan Cao

Dr. Kan Cao is an aging scientist, inventor, professor, and founder who has spent more than two decades studying why humans age. Her research spans rare premature-aging diseases, Alzheimer's and neurodegeneration, skin and hair aging, and patented applications of methylene blue. A Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors, she translates complex longevity science into practical insights about how we can live healthier for longer.

kcao@umd.edu  ·  301-405-3016

Lab Members

Meet the team

Joanna Chang

Joanna Chang

Laboratory Assistant

Investigating reactive oxygen species in human cells to understand how external stress influences cellular function.

Cat Harvey

Cat Harvey

Graduate Student

Characterizing the molecular mechanisms behind LMNA-related congenital muscular dystrophy (L-CMD), a rare skeletal muscle genetic disease.

Kavitha Sadashivaiah

Kavitha Sadashivaiah

Laboratory Technician

Studying the effect of methylene blue on wound healing in human fibroblasts.

Anesu Kachambwa

Anesu Kachambwa

Graduate Assistant

Keeping the lab's digital presence running smoothly and securely, from the website to the systems behind it.

Elizabeth Kathryn Izydore

Elizabeth Kathryn Izydore

Graduate Research Assistant

Studying impaired mechanotransduction and endothelial dysfunction in Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome.

Interested in joining the lab?

We're always happy to hear from prospective students and postdocs interested in HGPS and aging research.

Get in Touch
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