The Domestic Dog as a Model System for Aging Research

描述（由申请人提供）：研究人员通过对短寿动物模型的研究，在进一步了解衰老方面取得了巨大的成功。然而，对于这些模型如何很好地解释人类的衰老，我们的知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发展家庭伴侣犬作为一个强大的模型，以更好地了解人类衰老的生物学。本申请的具体目的是为长期的、全国性的犬类纵向衰老研究（CLAS）制定一个全面的计划。这项工作的基本原理是，家犬提供了一个理想的模型系统来识别影响衰老的遗传和环境因素，使用与人类生活在同一环境中的物种。我们的主要目标将通过以下三个目标来实现：1)建立一个犬类长寿联盟，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一个协作的跨学科网络；2)为青年科学家、兽医和公众提供老年研究培训机会；3 .开展一个试点项目，其目标是获取有关品种选择的信息，以及如何最好地收集、分析和共享CLAS中心的大规模数据。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，并建立了一个高度跨学科和协作的研究网络来开展研究。这里提出的工作意义重大，因为它将开发一个新的强大的模型系统，一个与人类共享许多遗传和环境特征的模型系统，用于开展衰老研究。从长远来看，组成犬类衰老纵向研究的狗的数量也将为NIA干预测试项目确定的化合物的快速、合乎道德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.