Alessandro Bitto, PhD
Molecular Pathobiology Program, Class of 2013
Recently, we caught up with Alessandro Bitto, PhD, in Seattle, Washington, where he's currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Washington.
What type of research (or work) are you doing now?
I'm still working on the biology of aging. Specifically I'm looking at how age-delaying drugs (e.g., rapamycin) are influencing nutrient metabolism. In addition, I am working on aggregate-prone proteins (e.g., alpha-synuclein, a protein involved in Parkinson's disease) and aging.
What was your motivation for moving to the Pacific Northwest and how do you like it?
They have a good aging research program here, with a T32 training grant for grad students and postdoc (which I was awarded), my laboratory is one of the leading labs in aging research. And, they treated me really well when I interviewed!
What do you miss most about Philadelphia and Biomed?
Dalessandro's Cheesesteaks, and the familiar, warm atmosphere. The fact that you sort of know everybody around you and they know you ... it was kind of like a big family there.
Which faculty members do you miss most?
For favorites, Chris Sell (my advisor) ranks definitely among my favorites ... if I have to pick somebody with more involvement in teaching and for their teaching abilities, then Pat Loll.
What advice would you give to new students who are just starting the program?
When I was still there, I used to joke with the new students that the path to quick graduation is to take advantage of as much free food and drinks as DUCOM can offer. I think it worked for me! More seriously, I would tell new students to focus on the core curriculum and not worry too much about getting anything meaningful done during the first year: once you get demanding classes behind you it gets a lot easier to organize your day in the lab and be productive.
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