Core 003 - Pilot Exploratory Studies Core

试点/探索性研究核心（PESC）的总体目标是支持和促进创新和严谨的研究， 我们的研究，将提高我们的病因，发病机制，诊断，预防，后果， 序列，和多因素老年条件的管理（耶鲁OAIC的重点），最终导致 制定干预措施，以提高或保持老年人的独立性。领导人 阿尔伯特·肖博士因其对人类免疫系统老化的研究而获得全国认可。他 耶鲁大学传染病研究所的MPI获得了NIA的K24奖，专注于免疫衰老， 他是美国国立卫生研究院疫苗常设研究部门的现任主席。这些活动使他 对衰老研究的杰出概述。Shaw博士将与PESC的联合领导人Terri博士密切合作 弗里德博士是老年人临床决策研究的领导者。该委员会的具体目标是： (1)征求并选择最有价值的研究提案以获得PESC资助;（2）为研究人员提供 PESC研究，可从操作（RC 1）和生物统计（RC 2）核心获得资源;（3）促进 PESC研究者之间合作的潜在机会;（4）监测PESC研究的进展; (5)促进PESC研究发展成为独立资助的补助金申请;以及（6）确保 PESC研究中招募的人类受试者和脊椎动物的安全性和保护。除了一个- 一年40，000美元的试点/探索性研究（PES），我们将继续加快试点（EXPI）赠款计划， 将资助4周内颁发的小额赠款（上限为5000美元）。这些补助金的目的是重新- 搜索活动，其中迅速注入相对少量的资金将有助于成功的额外- 壁画资助申请PES和EXPI奖项将充分利用现有的资源和专业知识， 从OAIC的两个资源核心中提取。PESC资金将优先考虑早期研究者 谁是过渡到独立，包括越来越多的前REC学者。通过促进交流， 由于OAIC的研究基础设施，这些PESC奖将继续促进埃克斯特的发展， 这将促进我们对多因素老年疾病的理解。在目前的资金 在一个周期内，PESC投资了625，000美元（总成本），到目前为止，已经出版了92种出版物，投资了1460万美元。 总成本（Total Cost）。在下一个周期的第一年，将支持三个创新的PES 来自早期医生科学家的研究： COVID-19的背景（PI，Heidi Zapata，MD，PhD）; PES-2-评估监测的短期结果 有乳腺癌病史的老年女性的乳房X线摄影（PI，Ilana Richman，MD，MHS）;和PES- 3-年龄相关性黄斑变性和阿尔茨海默病中小胶质细胞的转录组学特征（PI， Brian Hafler，MD，PhD）。这些试点，这将每个推进我们的主题，封装的力量和潜水员- 由耶鲁大学OAIC培养的基础，转化和临床衰老研究环境的真实性。

The overall goal of the Pilot/Exploratory Studies Core (PESC) is to support and facilitate innovative and rigor- ous research that will enhance our understanding of the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, prevention, conse- quences, and management of multifactorial geriatric conditions (the focus of the Yale OAIC), leading ultimately to the development of interventions to increase or maintain independence in older persons. The Leader of the PESC, Dr. Albert Shaw, is nationally recognized for his research on aging of the human immune system. He holds a K24 award from the NIA focused on immunosenescence, is MPI of the Yale Infectious Diseases NIH training grant, and is the current chair of a standing NIH study section on vaccines. These activities give him an exceptional overview of aging research. Dr. Shaw will work closely with the Co-Leader of the PESC, Dr. Terri Fried, a leader in research on clinical decision-making in older persons. The Specific Aims of the PESC are to: (1) solicit and select the most meritorious research proposals for PESC funding; (2) provide investigators of PESC studies with access to resources from the Operations (RC1) and Biostatistics (RC2) Cores; (3) facilitate potential opportunities for collaboration among PESC investigators; (4) monitor the progress of PESC studies; (5) facilitate development of PESC studies into independently funded grant applications; and (6) ensure the safety and protection of human subjects and vertebrate animals enrolled in PESC studies. In addition to one- year $40,000 pilot/exploratory studies (PESs), we will continue an Expedited Pilot (EXPI) grant program, which will fund small grants (capped at $5000) that are awarded within 4 weeks. These grants are intended for re- search activities in which a rapid infusion of a relatively small amount of funds will facilitate a successful extra- mural grant application. PESs and EXPI awards will take full advantage of the resources and expertise availa- ble from the OAIC’s two Resource Cores. Priority for PESC funding will be given to early-stage investigators who are transitioning to independence, including the growing number of prior REC Scholars. By facilitating ac- cess to the OAIC research infrastructure, these PESC awards will continue to foster the development of exter- nal grants that will advance our understanding of multifactorial geriatric conditions. During the current funding cycle, the PESC invested $625,000 (total costs) that has resulted, to date, in 92 publications and $14.6 million in extramural funding (total costs). During Year 1 of the next cycle, three innovative PESs will be supported from early-stage physician scientists: PES-1—Age-associated alterations in NLRP3 inflammasome function in the setting of COVID-19 (PI, Heidi Zapata, MD, PhD); PES-2—Evaluating short-term outcomes of surveillance mammography among older women with a history of breast cancer (PI, Ilana Richman, MD, MHS); and PES- 3—Transcriptomic signatures of microglia in age-related macular degeneration and Alzheimer’s Disease (PI, Brian Hafler, MD, PhD). These pilots, which will each advance our theme, encapsulate the strength and diver- sity of the environment for basic, translational and clinical aging research fostered by the Yale OAIC.