Our laboratory seeks to uncover mechanisms that promote longevity and healthy aging, and to understand how cells and organisms defend themselves against environmental and metabolic stresses. By understanding these mechanisms, we hope to identify strategies for treatment and prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer's. Most of our work involves the nematode C. elegans, a model organism that is highly advantageous for genetic, phenotypic, and aging studies. We also investigate how processes we uncover in the worm operate in mammalian models.

The Blackwell lab is located at the Joslin Diabetes Center, in the Longwood Medical Area in Boston. We are also part of the Harvard Medical School Department of Genetics, and participate regularly in their activities. Laboratories at Harvard Medical School, Children's Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Center are only a short walk away, and provide a variety of research interactions, facilities, and seminars. Lab members present in shared group meetings that include the Joslin student/postdoc series, the Boston Area Worm Meeting and Aging Data Series, and the Longwood Area Worm Meeting. These various activities provide an exciting scientific environment, and important vehicles for interactions and collaborations.                                                 
                                                                                                              T. Keith Blackwell, MD, PhD