Dena Dubal

Five years ago Sam Dubal ascended - into the arms of the Mother Mountain. So blessed to have been the sister of this surgeon-anthropologist with a gentle heart and fierce mind. He was shifting paradigms toward a better world - with that unassuming smile.

What a joy!!

Today, I had an amazing, unexpected surprise. My big sister came to UC Irvine and sat in on my lecture! It was an amazing, memorable moment. I’ll never forget it. 😭❤️ love you @denadubal.bsky.social

The Wall Street Journal recently highlighted AFAR grantees @denadubal.bsky.social, @jennifergarrison.bsky.social and @jamienjustice.bsky.social in a feature on pioneering women advancing aging research.
Read the full article here: www.wsj.com/health/welln...

📣 We are thrilled to announce @denadubal.bsky.social is joining our Executive Committee! Dr. Dubal's research investigates the molecular mechanisms of #aging, #resilience, and #neurodegenerative_disease. #SciSky #GeroSky

We celebrated with chocolate, stories and tacos! Congrats Samira @jusabdulsam.bsky.social on starting the next chapter of your scientific journey as you set up your own lab at @templeuniversity.bsky.social @ucsfhealth.bsky.social @simonsfoundation.org

Daniel Burke Photography of the occasion.

With gratitude for the Pignolo Prize in Aging Research from UPENN @upenn.bsky.social . Thanks David Wok, Edward Lee, John Pignolo, Virginia Lee - and others. Wonderful occasion!

Why women experience Alzheimer’s disease differently from men Sex and gender research could lead to better, more equitable treatments — if it is allowed to continue without political interference.

"We have far to go and more to do" - thanks Katherine Bourzac @bourzac.bsky.social at @nature.com for including me in this thoughtful piece and highlighting our work on the X chromosome. Why women experience #Alzheimer’s disease differently from men www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Congratulations @margaretgadek.bsky.social on a wildly successful PhD! On to the MD!

Aging activates escape of the silent X chromosome in the female mouse hippocampus Aging activates the silent X chromosome, increasing escape expression, and potentially cognitive resilience, in the female mouse.

Could a reawakening of the silenced X chromosome in females help slow aging-induced cognitive decline? Check out the work by @denadubal.bsky.social along with colleagues Kaitlin Casaletto, Bérénice Benayoun, and Vijay Ramani in Science Advances: bit.ly/3FlN3hj #GeroSky #SciSky

Aging Women’s Brain Mysteries Are Tested in Trio of Studies (Gift Article) Researchers identified a gene that seems to help slow brain aging in women, and studied links between hormone therapy, menopause and Alzheimer’s.

"A little boost went a long way". Increasing an X factor from the silent X improved cognition in aging male and female mice. Privileged to have our discovery reported in @nytimes.com, alongside findings from Kaitlin Casaletto and Rachel Buckley @bucklr01.bsky.social. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/05/h...

Thanks Katherine Bourzac @bourzac.bsky.social for this terrific article in @nature.com on our discovery that the "silent X awakens"!

With gratitude to collaborators including Vijay Ramani, Kaitlin Casaletto, Rowan Saloner, and Berenice Benayoun @bbparis1984.bsky.social and funders including @simonsfoundation.org and the NIA

Aging activates escape of the silent X chromosome in the female mouse hippocampus Aging activates the silent X chromosome, increasing escape expression, and potentially cognitive resilience, in the female mouse.

"We could all use a little more X!" Thrilled our new study is out. Aging "wakes up" the silent X chromosome in the female brain - and this contributes cognitive resilience. Spearheaded by @margaretgadek.bsky.social in Science Advances. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Thanks to @denadubal.bsky.social and @bucklr01.bsky.social for talking to me for this story about the fascinating X chromosome!

Thank you for talking to us and masterfully covering and communicating this discovery with implications for women’s health!

Major congrats Margaret - wow you worked hard, dug in, and discovered big!!!

Aging activates escape of the silent X chromosome in the female mouse hippocampus Aging activates the silent X chromosome, increasing escape expression, and potentially cognitive resilience, in the female mouse.

Our new Science Advances paper reveals activation of the silent X chromosome as a mechanism of female resilience in cognitive aging www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Many thanks to
@denadubal.bsky.social
for your mentorship on this project!!

Excited to share our new review article in @cp-trendsgenetics.bsky.social together with the labs of @denadubal.bsky.social, @ctmurphy1.bsky.social and #YousinSuh, spearheaded by trainees Victor Ansere, Seung-Soo Kim, Francesca Marino and Katherine Morillo! 🧪🧬🖥️
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Aging Women’s Brain Mysteries Are Tested in Trio of Studies Researchers identified a gene that seems to help slow brain aging in women, and studied links between hormone therapy, menopause and Alzheimer’s.

More coverage of @denadubal.bsky.social Kaitlin Casaletto, @bucklr01.bsky.social et al: www.nytimes.com/2025/03/05/h...

Wonderful talking with Mohana Ravindranath @ravindranize.bsky.social for her compelling article – Why do Women Live Longer than Men? Input from @bbparis1984.bsky.social and others @nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/25/w...

New Research Identifies a Key Player in How Your Brain Ages: The X Chromosome New Research Identifies a Key Player in How Your Brain Ages: The X Chromosome on Simons Foundation

Why do women’s brains age better than men’s? A new Simons Foundation–funded @nature.com study from @denadubal.bsky.social identifies a key player: the X chromosome. Read more: www.simonsfoundation.org/2025/02/05/n... #science #neuroscience

New research by AFAR Grantee @denadubal.bsky.social of @ucsfhealth.bsky.social recently published in @nature.com on the maternal X chromosome and cognition and brain aging in female mice.

The maternal X chromosome affects cognition and brain ageing in female mice - Nature The maternal X chromosome in female mice impairs cognition through the silencing of certain genes and accelerates ageing of the hippocampus.

👏 Don't miss Samira Abdulai-Saiku's manuscript published in @nature.com! Great work coming from @denadubal.bsky.social's lab, furthering our understanding of the relationship between the X chromosome and brain aging. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Older female mice show poor spatial memory when their paternal X chromosome is inactive and only the maternal copy is active @nature.com @denadubal.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Beautiful study from @denadubal.bsky.social and #SamiraAbdulaiSaiku showing that the parent-of-origin of the active X in mice play a huge role in #brain aging!!!!
Congrats on this transformative work!

Could Brain Aging Be Mom’s Fault? Researchers found that female mice using only maternal X chromosomes showed faster cognitive decline, which could help explain the variation in brain aging between the sexes

Is brain aging mom's fault? When brain cells rely only on X chromosomes inherited from mom, they age more quickly, UCSF researchers led by @denadubal.bsky.social reported in @nature.com. Reversing the effect could help treat brain diseases or memory loss. www.ucsf.edu/news/2025/01...

Thank you!

Thx Mark!

The maternal X chromosome affects cognition and brain ageing in female mice - Nature The maternal X chromosome in female mice impairs cognition through the silencing of certain genes and accelerates ageing of the hippocampus.

The maternal X chromosome impairs cognition and speeds up brain aging. Check out our latest @nature.com @ucsfhealth.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...