Carey Lyons

Ph.D. 2022

PhD 2022

Thesis Title

Chronic stress induces cellular senescence: implications in aging and neurodegenerative disease.

Current Position:

Postdoctoral Fellow, Merck Data & Genome Sciences

Undergraduate Institution and Major:

Oberlin College, B.A. Biology and Neuroscience 2015

Graduate Advisor:

Alessandro Bartolomucci, Ph.D., Department of Integrative Physiology and Biology

Description of Graduate Research:

Colloquial wisdom posits that severe stress ages a person. Scientific evidence backs this claim, showing that higher perceived stress levels correlate with shorter telomeres, a trigger for cellular senescence. Senescent cells accumulate with age and contribute to the onset and progression of numerous aging-related diseases via their secretion of inflammatory factors. Chronic stress increases risk for a number of these very same diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis and diabetes. The central hypothesis of my research is that chronic stress promotes accumulation of senescent cells, and that they mediate stress-induced vulnerability to aging-related diseases. Specifically, I aim to determine which cell types become senescent following psychological stress and whether senescent cells mediate stress-induced exacerbation of neurodegenerative pathology in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease.

Graduate Publications:

  • Lyons CE, Razzoli M, Bartolomucci A. The impact of life stress on hallmarks of aging and accelerated senescence: connections in sickness and in health. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2023 Aug 14:105359. 
  • Lyons CE, Zhou X, Razzoli M, Chen M, Xia W, Ashe K, Zhang B, Bartolomucci A. Lifelong chronic psychosocial stress induces a proteomic signature of Alzheimer's Disease in wildtype mice. Eur J Neurosci. 2022 May;55(9-10):2971-2985.
  • Brown JL, Lyons CE, Toddes C, Monko T, Tyshynsky R. Reevaluating tear gas toxicity and safety. Inhal Toxicol. 2021 Sep 12:1-16.
  • Brown JL, Lyons CE, Toddes C, Monko T, Tyshynsky R. Tear gas safety and usage practices. Journal of Science Policy and Goverance. 2021;18(1):https://doi.org/10.38126/JSPG180104.
  • Lyons CE, Bartolomucci A. Stress and Alzheimer's disease: A senescence link? Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020;115:285-298.
  • Lyons CE, Razzoli M, Larson E, Svedberg D, Frontini A, Cinti S, Vulchanova L, Sanders M, Thomas M, Bartolomucci A. Optogenetic-induced sympathetic neuromodulation of brown adipose tissue thermogenesis. FASEB J. 2020;34(2):2765-2773.

Graduate Oral Presentations:

  • Chronic stress induces cellular senescence in mice. Graduate Program in Neuroscience Colloqiuium Series. February 10, 2021.
  • Cellular Senescence: a link between chronic stress and aging? Graduate Program in Neuroscience Colloquium Series. February 20, 2019

Graduate Abstracts:

  • Lyons C, Razzoli M, Mansk R, Caviola G, Kahn K, Berg M, Campisi J, Van Deursen J, Bartolomucci A. Chronic subordination stress induces tissue-specific cellular senescence in mice. Poster, Barshop Aging Conference, Bandera Texas, October 11, 2019.
  • Lyons C, Razzoli M, Zhou X, Chen M, Svedberg D, Xia W, Zhang B, Bartolomucci A. Lifelong chronic psychosocial stress induces a proteomic signature of Alzheimer’s Disease in mice. Poster, Graduate Program in Neuroscience Retreat. Minneapolis Minnesota, February 9, 2019
  • Lyons C, Razzoli M, Larson E, Svedberg D, Sanders M, Thomas M, Bartolomucci A. Sympathetic neuromodulation of the brown adipose tissue. Poster, Society for Neuroscience Meeting, November 3, 2018
  • Lyons C, Razzoli M, Zhou X, Chen M, Svedberg D, Xia W, Zhang B, Bartolomucci A. Lifelong chronic psychosocial stress induces a proteomic signature of Alzheimer’s Disease in mice. Poster, Mini-symposium on the Biology of Aging, Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 9, 2018
  • Lyons C, Razzoli M, Zhou X, Chen M, Svedberg D, Xia W, Zhang B, Bartolomucci A. Lifelong chronic psychosocial stress induces a proteomic signature of Alzheimer’s Disease in mice. Poster, Stress Neurobiology Workshop, Banff Canada, June 11, 2018
  • Lyons C, Razzoli M, Larson E, Svedberg D, Sanders M, Thomas M, Bartolomucci A.Sympathetic neuromodulation of the brown adipose tissue. Poster, Wallin Neuroscience Discovery Day, Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 2, 2018
  • Lyons C, Razzoli M, Larson E, Svedberg D, Sanders M, Thomas M, Bartolomucci A. Sympathetic neuromodulation of the brown adipose tissue. Poster, Minnesota Neuromodulation Symposium, Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 13, 2018
  • Lyons C, Svedberg D, Razzoli M, Bartolomucci A. Stress-induced metabolic changes in aged mice. Poster, Graduate Program in Neuroscience Retreat. St Paul, Minnesota, February 10, 2018

Graduate Awards:

  • Best poster award, Midwestern Aging Consortium Symposium, Institute for the Biology of Aging and Metabolism 2019
  • Functional Proteomics of Aging Training Fellowship T32 AG029796  2018-2019

Graduate Program in Neuroscience Committees:

Seminar Committee 2017-2019

Professional Outreach:

  • Market Science, June 13 2019
  • Brain Awareness Week, November 2018
  • Neuroscience outreach at the Minnesota State Fair, August 24 2018
  • Market Science, August 2 2018
  • Neuroscience outreach at the Minnesota State Fair, August 26 2017

Professional Memberships:

  • Society for Neuroscience
  • Sigma Xi
  • Nu Rho Psi

Thesis Committee Members:

  • Jonathan Gewirtz, Ph.D., Department of Psychology (Chair)
  • Alessandro Bartolomucci, Ph.D., Department of Integrative Physiology and Biology
  • Sylvain Lesne, Ph.D., Department of Neuroscience
  • Deborah Ferrington, Ph.D., Department of Ophthalmology
  • Laura Niedernhofer, Ph.D., Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics

Research Categories:

  • Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases and Neural Injury
  • Neuroendocrine and Homeostatic Systems
  • Neuropsychiatric Disease

Rotations:

What Got You Interested In Research?

I have always been fascinated by all things related to the mind, behavior, emotions and thought processes, but frustrated that no one could explain them to me. At some point in high school I had the bizarre epiphany that all these things and more are orchestrated by physical processes that could be studied and understood. Ever since then I’ve known that I want to spend my life learning as much as I can and generating new knowledge about the complex processes that determine how organisms perceive and relate to their internal and external environment.

Why Did You Choose MN?

University of Minnesota was the program that I knew the least about going into graduate school interviews. When I came to campus, I was completely blown away by the quality of the available research resources and the incredibly supportive community here. I could tell that the students and faculty were passionately and happily engaged in their research and felt that this was the environment that would best facilitate my growth as a scientist and human.

Student Mentor and the Best Advice They Gave:

I feel like every older student I talk to is a mentor to me. I think that feeling of support goes way beyond what any single piece of advice could contribute to my success and well-being.

Favorite Itasca Memory:

My favorite memory from Itasca was at the end of the first week, watching the sunset with my new cohort from kayaks in the middle of the lake, and knowing that I was going to have an incredible, supportive group of friends with me as I went through graduate school!

Lyons