{"id":186,"date":"2017-11-08T01:24:03","date_gmt":"2017-11-08T01:24:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/labs\/cohenlab\/?page_id=186"},"modified":"2025-06-10T21:52:34","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T21:52:34","slug":"the-cohen-lab","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/labs\/cohenlab\/","title":{"rendered":"The Cohen Lab"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Cohen Lab\u2019s research centers on mitochondrial biology and mitochondrial derived peptides (MDPs), which our group recently discovered. The lab studies the relation of these novel peptides to cellular and organismal processes including metabolism, carcinogenesis and aging. The focus of the research is in trying to understand their role in diabetes, cancer and neurodegeneration. The laboratory studies the basic physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, and molecular biology of mitochondrial-derived peptides (MDPs), such as humanin as well as the clinical relevance of these phenomena. We are developing new systems in vivo, in humans, mice and worms as well as in vitro, in novel cell models, and in situ, in tissue samples, where we hope to continue to characterize the role of these peptides in basic molecular events and disease processes. Our major projects include the cloning of novel MDPs for functional studies, the discovery or novel response genes through the use of genome-wide scans, and the identification of transcriptional regulators of MDPs. We also seek to translate these discoveries towards novel diagnostic tools and therapeutic interventions.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_empty_space height=”15px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″][vc_single_image image=”618″ img_size=”150X150″ alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” link=”http:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/faculty\/cohen”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3\/4″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Pinchas Cohen, MD<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text el_id=”pi-contact-info”]Dean, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology
\nExecutive Director, Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center
\nWilliam and Sylvia Kugel Dean\u2019s Chair in Gerontology<\/strong><\/p>\n

Email:<\/strong> hassy@usc.edu
\nOffice Phone:<\/strong> (213) 740-1354
\nFax: <\/strong>(213) 740-5694[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Focus Areas<\/strong><\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1516659649283{padding-bottom: 15px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″][vc_single_image image=”390″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”http:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/labs\/cohenlab\/research”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3\/4″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1529702753528{margin-left: -15px !important;}” el_class=”focus-areas-links”]Precision medicine-based drug discovery<\/strong><\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1516659659074{padding-bottom: 15px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″][vc_single_image image=”391″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”http:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/labs\/cohenlab\/research”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3\/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1516659696061{padding-left: -10px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1516659962194{margin-left: -15px !important;}” el_class=”focus-areas-links”]Mitochondrial Derived Peptides<\/strong><\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner content_placement=”middle”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″][vc_single_image image=”389″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”http:\/\/gero.usc.edu\/labs\/cohenlab\/research”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3\/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1516659703368{padding-left: -10px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1516659970449{margin-left: -15px !important;}” el_class=”focus-areas-links”]Mitochondrial Biology<\/strong><\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_separator][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Primary Research Areas<\/h3>\n