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The National Institutes of Health will provide up to $4 million over five years to a consortium that includes Baylor College of Medicine, Tulane National Primate Research Center, and California National Primate Research Center to establish a Coordinating Center for Aging Research. This award underscores the leadership of these three organizations in advancing the understanding of aging in primate species. This information could open new avenues for improving human health and life expectancy.
Led by Dr. Jay Rappaport, director of the Tulane National Primate Research Center, Dr. Jeffrey Rogers of Baylor College of Medicine, and Dr. John Morrison of the University of California, Davis, the Coordinating Center for Aging Research will bring together findings from aging research in humans and nonhuman primates. The Tulane Primate Center will provide project leadership. The consortium will be a central hub supporting several complementary research grants studying factors that influence aging and longevity.
Nonhuman primates share key aspects of physiology, genetics, and neurobiology with humans. Some primate species live less than five years, while other species can live 50 years or more. By comparing lifespan, life course, and aging processes between humans and different nonhuman primates, scientists hope to identify key factors that influence the aging process. A better understanding of the factors that determine life expectancy in primates could lead to new strategies to promote healthier aging in humans.
“We at Baylor College of Medicine are excited to play this important role in expanding knowledge about the processes that influence healthy aging and longevity,” said Rogers, an associate professor in the Human Genome Sequencing Center at Baylor College. “Nonhuman primates provide a natural experiment in extending lifespan. The interspecies comparisons that this program aims to support will improve our understanding of some fundamental elements of aging. In doing so, we will gain new insights that we hope will translate into improved human health and well-being.”
The goal of the new coordinating center will be to manage data, coordinate research studies, and ensure that research results are highly reliable and reproducible. This approach helps avoid unnecessary duplication of studies and resources, including animal testing, and ensures that each study complements the others. Baylor researchers will also focus on supporting and developing the genetic and genomic aspects of these comparative studies. Funding for this aging consortium is provided by the National Institute on Aging, a division of the NIH, reflecting a strong commitment to improving our understanding of aging through comparative research.
“This grant is a testament to the cutting-edge research capabilities of the TNPRC and our partners,” said Rappaport. “By bringing together a diverse group of specialists, the Coordinating Center on Aging will enable innovative research that could lead to breakthroughs in understanding the biology of aging and ultimately benefit human health and longevity.”
