The Domestic Dog as a Model System for Aging Research

描述（由申请人提供）：研究人员已经取得了巨大的成功，通过研究短命的动物模型，进一步加深了我们对衰老的理解。然而，我们对这些模型如何解释人类衰老的认识存在根本性的差距。这项网络和基础设施支持提案的长期目标是将家庭伴侣犬开发为一个强大的模型，以更好地了解人类衰老的生物学。本申请的具体目标是为长期的全国性犬纵向衰老研究（CLAS）制定全面计划。这项工作的基本原理是，家犬提供了一个理想的模型系统，可以利用与人类生活在相同环境中的物种来识别影响衰老的遗传和环境因素。我们的主要目标将通过追求以下三个目标来实现：1）创建一个犬长寿联盟，由具有设计和实施CLAS所需专业知识的研究人员和临床医生组成的协作性跨学科网络; 2）为年轻科学家，兽医和公众提供老龄化研究的培训机会; 3.开展试点项目，其目标是获得关于品种选择的信息，以及如何最好地收集、分析和共享对CLAS至关重要的大规模数据。这里提出的工作是创新的，因为它为衰老研究开发了一种新的动物模型，以及一个高度跨学科和协作的研究网络来开展研究。这里提出的工作是重要的，因为它将开发一个新的和强大的模型系统，一个与人类共享许多遗传和环境特征的系统，用它来进行衰老研究。从长远来看，组成老龄化犬纵向研究的犬群也将为通过NIA的干预测试计划鉴定的化合物的快速，道德上合理的测试提供前所未有的力量。最终，通过这样一个项目获得的知识有可能大大增加我们对衰老的理解，以及我们预防和治疗与年龄有关的疾病的能力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Researchers have had enormous success in furthering our understanding of aging through the study of short-lived animal models. However, there is a fundamental gap in our knowledge of how well these models can explain aging in humans. The long-term goal of this Network and Infrastructure Support proposal is to develop the domestic companion dog as a powerful model to better understand the biology of aging in humans. The specific objective of this application is to develop a comprehensive plan for a long-term, nationwide Canine Longitudinal Aging Study (CLAS). The rationale for the proposed work is that the domestic dog offers an ideal model system to identify the genetic and environmental factors that influence aging, using a species living in the same environment as humans. Our primary objective will be achieved by pursuing the following three aims: 1) to create a Canine Longevity Consortium, consisting of a collaborative, interdisciplinary network of researchers and clinicians with the expertise needed to design and implement the CLAS; 2) to develop training opportunities in aging research for junior scientists, veterinarians, and the general public; and 3 to carry out a pilot projects whose goal is to obtain information regarding choice of breeds, and how best to collect, analyze and share large-scale data central to the CLAS. The work proposed here is innovative, because it develops a novel animal model for aging research, and a highly interdisciplinary and collaborative research network to carry out the research. The work proposed here is significant because it will develop a new and powerful model system, one which shares many genetic and environmental characteristics with humans, with which to carry out aging research. In the long-term, the population of dogs that make up the canine longitudinal study of aging will also offer unprecedented power for rapid, ethically sound testing of compounds identified through NIA's intervention testing program. Ultimately, the knowledge gained through such a project has the potential to greatly increase our understanding of aging, and our ability to prevent and treat age-related disease.