Pilot and Exploratory Studies Core (PESC)

近年来，我们在理解衰老的基本生物学方面取得了重大进展，导致 以确定具有延长健康寿命潜力的新干预措施。尽管在美国进行了激动人心的研究 模式生物，一直缺乏必要的程序和基础设施来实现这些 对人类的发现。试点/探索性研究核心的主要目标是促进 圣安东尼奥老年美国人独立中心(OAIC)的首要目标是通过发展和 验证促进健康老龄化和减缓老龄化相关过程进展的干预措施 和疾病。事实上，PESC在圣安东尼奥OAIC的翻译中心主题中发挥着关键作用 通过支持将衰老基础生物学研究从实验室转移到老年科学的项目 到床边，以延长健康的预期寿命。PESC将为以下项目提供择优支持 严格设计的先导性研究，测试有希望的药理学的疗效和副作用， 以及在临床前的绒猴模型和早期的基于非药物的细胞和行为干预 人类临床研究。PESC将通过以下具体目标努力实现其目标： ·目标1：促进创新、协作、多学科研究，以测试旨在 在早期人类试验和非人类灵长类绒猴模型中延长健康预期寿命。 ·目标2：与资源核心和研究教育部门密切合作，以提供 基础设施、科学支持和资金，用于指导初级教师的创新试点提案 调查人员，以及公认的研究人员。 ·目标3：鼓励将开发和应用新方法和技术的试验性研究。 ·目标4：维持有效的程序，以征求、审查和资助试点项目，并确保研究 完成、对下游影响的有力跟踪以及最佳传播和实施。 核心领导拥有指导成功的试点项目的丰富经验，将促进 PESC调查员与OAIC资源核心的关键对接和互动，以及与 更广泛的科学界。该核心将为PESC支持的研究提供密切的监督和指导 从一开始，在调查和分析阶段，到出版，最后到 提交竞争性国家赠款资金提案。PESC将就快速发展的问题征求建议 与年龄相关的科学领域，如恢复力--恢复正常功能稳态的能力 压力暴露。为了解决合格翻译调查人员不断减少的问题，PESC致力于 为早期调查人员提出的有价值的建议提供资金。最后，我们获得了巨大的杠杆率 承诺，使PESC项目投资达到每年29万美元，并将PESC定位为实现这两个目标 强劲的投资回报和对翻译老年学的重大影响。

In recent years, major advances have been made in our understanding of the basic biology of aging, leading to the identification of novel interventions with potential to prolong healthspan. In spite of exciting studies in model organisms, there has been a lack of programs and infrastructure needed to enable the translation of these discoveries to humans. The major objective of the Pilot / Exploratory Studies Core (PESC) is to promote the overarching goals of the San Antonio Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC) by developing and validating interventions to enhance healthy aging and mitigate the progression of aging-associated processes and diseases. Indeed, the PESC plays a key role in the San Antonio OAIC's central theme of translational geroscience by supporting projects that move research on the basic biology of aging from the laboratory bench to the bedside, in order to extend healthy life expectancy. The PESC will provide merit-based support for rigorously designed pilot studies that test both the efficacy and side effect profiles of promising pharmacologic, as well as non-pharmacologic cell-based and behavioral interventions, in pre-clinical marmoset models and early human clinical studies. The PESC will strive to achieve its objectives through the following specific aims: • Aim 1: To promote innovative, collaborative, multidisciplinary research to test interventions designed to extend healthy life expectancy, both in early human trials and in non-human primate marmoset models. • Aim 2: To work closely with the Resource Cores and Research Education Component to provide infrastructure, scientific support, and funding for innovative pilot proposals from mentored junior faculty investigators, as well as established researchers. • Aim 3: To encourage pilot studies that will develop and apply novel methods and technologies. • Aim 4: To sustain effective processes to solicit, review, and fund pilot projects, as well as ensure study completion, robust tracking of downstream impact, and optimal dissemination and implementation. The Core leaders, having a great deal of experience directing successful pilot project programs, will promote key alignments and interactions of PESC investigators with OAIC Resource Cores, as well as with resources in the broader scientific community. The Core will provide close oversight and guidance to PESC-supported studies from inception, during the investigative and analytical phases, through publication, and ultimately through the submission of proposals for competitive national grant funding. The PESC will seek proposals on rapidly evolving age-related scientific areas such as resilience – the capacity to return to normal functional homeostasis after stress exposure. To address the shrinking pipeline of qualified translational investigators the PESC is committed to funding meritorious proposals from early-stage investigators. Finally, we have received significant leveraging commitments, enabling PESC project investments of $290K annually and positioning the PESC to achieve both a robust return on investment and significant impact on translational geroscience.