Nathan Shock Centers of Excellence in Basic Biology of Aging

描述(由申请人提供)：本提案中描述的圣安东尼奥-内森休克衰老中心的主要前提是，通过研究显示寿命延长的动物模型，可以最好地识别衰老的生物学机制。我们的中心将致力于为研究人员提供最先进的科学基础设施、资源、服务和独特的动物模型，这些都是研究提高寿命的哺乳动物模型中与衰老的基本生物学相关问题所必需的。 圣安东尼奥-内森休克老龄中心的具体目标如下： 1.为研究衰老的研究人员提供感兴趣的哺乳动物模型。老龄化动物和寿命评估核心将为研究人员提供各种与衰老有关的啮齿动物模型，例如转基因/营养/药物操作，而衰老比较生物学核心将为研究人员提供具有特别长寿命的哺乳动物物种。 2.提供服务/资源，使研究人员能够研究各种被认为在啮齿动物衰老过程中起作用的分子和生理过程。病理学、氧化损伤和线粒体功能、Healthspan和功能评估以及研究开发核心将为研究人员提供独特的资源/服务，用于表征各种操作对整个动物、组织或细胞衰老的影响。此外，行政/方案充实核心将为调查人员提供数据管理和统计分析方面的支助。 3.为教职员发展老龄研究计划提供协助。研究发展核心将为新进入老龄化的研究人员提供试点拨款和导师，以开发能够成功竞争联邦和私人来源的研究拨款的老龄化研究计划。 4.行政/方案充实核心将提供必要的行政支助，以改善圣安东尼奥的研究环境，并鼓励圣安东尼奥以及其他内森休克中心和机构的调查人员就老龄化问题开展合作研究。在过去的5年里，圣安东尼奥内森休克老龄化中心为103名调查人员提供了服务，其中30%的调查人员来自其他研究机构。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The central premise underlying the San Antonio Nathan Shock Aging Center described in this proposal is that identifying the biological mechanisms underlying aging can best be achieved by studying animal models that show enhanced longevity. Our Center will focus its effort on providing investigators with State-of-the-art scientific infrastructure, resources, services, and unique animal models that are required in studying pertinent questions to the basic biology of aging in mammalian models of enhanced longevity. The Specific Objectives of the San Antonio Nathan Shock Aging Center are as follows: 1. To provide mammalian models of interest to investigators studying aging. The Aging Animal and Longevity Assessment Core will provide investigators with various rodent models of interest to aging, e.g., transgenic/nutritional/pharmacological manipulations, and the Comparative Biology of Aging Core will provide investigators with mammalian species with exceptionally long lifespans. 2. To provide services/resources that will allow investigators to study various molecular and physiological processes believed to play a role in aging in rodents. The Pathology, Oxidative Damage and Mitochondrial Function, Healthspan and Functional Assessment, and Research Development Cores will provide investigators with unique resources/services used to characterize the effect of the various manipulations on aging in whole animals, tissues, or cells. In addition, the Administrative/ Program Enrichment Core will provide investigators with support for data management and statistical analyses. 3. To provide assistance to faculty for developing research programs in aging. The Research Development Core will provide investigators new to aging with pilot grants and mentors to develop research programs in aging that can successfully compete for research grants from federal and private sources. 4. The Administrative/Program Enrichment Core will provide the administrative support necessary to enhance the research environment in San Antonio and to encourage collaborative research on aging among investigators at San Antonio as well as other Nathan Shock Centers and institutions. Over the past 5 years, the San Antonio Nathan Shock Aging Center has provided services to 103 investigators, and 30% of these investigators are from other research institutions.