He received a Ph.D. in bioengineering and bioinformatics from the University of California, San Diego, in 2003. Covert focuses on building computational models of complex biological networks and using these models to guide an experimental program and accelerate the discovery process. He is applying his Pioneer Award to building a whole-cell computer model of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisae that takes every gene into account. Covert will use the model in a detailed, systemwide analysis of why dietary restriction can have such a strong impact on lifespan in organisms ranging from yeast to mammals.