TRAINING GRANT ON THE BIOLOGY OF AGING

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application is a new training program for research scientists in the areas of genetics of aging, lifespan intervention analyses in animal models, and age-related diseases. Pre- and post-doctoral fellows (10 and 6 per year respectively) will be trained in the biology of aging. The trainees will participate in projects involving: programmed changes in gene expression; somatic mutations and epigenetic changes in gene expression; free radicals, DNA damage and DNA repair; aging of endocrine and immune systems; transmembrane signaling; oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis; and the molecular aspects of age-associated diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and prostatic hyperplasia and neoplasia. The Biology of Aging course and journal clubs on current topics in gerontology will provide the formal setting for didactic training. The Aging Seminar Series will be the focal point of interactions of the trainees with eminent scientists working in the field of aging. Trainees will be selected based on their interest in aging, academic excellence, and motivation for careers in research, instruction and service as reflected from their academic records, and letters of recommendations. The Institutional core facilities for generating transgenic mice, biometry, recombinant DNA technology, hybridoma, flow cytometry microassay and confocal microscopy will be available to all trainees and the participating faculty. This program is comprised of 27 faculty trainers of whom 22 are funded by the NIA. Two are newly recruited Assistant Professors with a clear interest in aging. The three senior investigators with other funding are interested in aging, involved in teaching in the Aging course, and participating in the journal club, and provide research interests that add to, rather than duplicate, that of the other trainers. As a result, the trainees will have a broad range of research to choose from and they will work with individuals who have demonstrated their training ability. San Antonio has the unique situation of having access to and recruiting minorities from the undergraduate universities in the area, e.g., University of Texas at San Antonio and St. Mary's University. A strong effort will be made to do just this. Support of this program has all the potential of training a much needed group of scientists; the gerontologists of the future.