Abstract
Understanding basic mechanisms of aging holds great promise for developing interventions that prevent or delay many age-related declines and diseases simultaneously to increase human healthspan. However, a major confounding factor in aging research is the heterogeneity of the aging process itself. At the organismal level, it is clear that chronological age does not always predict biological age or susceptibility to frailty or pathology. While genetics and environment are major factors driving variable rates of aging, additional complexity arises because different organs, tissues, and cell types are intrinsically heterogeneous and exhibit different aging trajectories normally or in response to the stresses of the aging process (e.g., damage accumulation). Tackling the heterogeneity of aging requires new and specialized tools (e.g., single-cell analyses, mass spectrometry-based approaches, and advanced imaging) to identify novel signatures of aging across scales. Cutting-edge computational approaches are then needed to integrate these disparate datasets and elucidate network interactions between known aging hallmarks. There is also a need for improved, human cell-based models of aging to ensure that basic research findings are relevant to human aging and healthspan interventions. The San Diego Nathan Shock Center (SD-NSC) provides access to cutting-edge scientific resources to facilitate the study of the heterogeneity of aging in general and to promote the use of novel human cell models of aging. The center also has a robust Research Development Core that funds pilot projects on the heterogeneity of aging and organizes innovative training activities, including workshops and a personalized mentoring program, to help investigators new to the aging field succeed. Finally, the SD-NSC participates in outreach activities to educate the general community about the importance of aging research and promote the need for basic biology of aging research in particular.
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Acknowledgements
Dr. Malene Hansen was the original director of the SD-NSC Research Development Core and responsible for formulating its overall structure, innovative approaches, and integration with the annual LJAM meeting. Her tireless efforts were also instrumental in getting the entire SD-NSC off the ground successfully and transitioning seamlessly to the new Research Development Core Director Dr. Alessandra Sacco. The authors also wish to acknowledge Lara Avila at the Salk Institute for her steadfast and excellent coordination of SD-NSC workshops and other center activities and events. The authors wish to thank Rafael Arrojo E Drigo and Galena Erikson for allowing the use of preliminary data and other help to generate Fig. 3. This work is supported by the National Institute of Aging of the National Institutes of Health award number P30AG068635. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
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Shadel, G.S., Adams, P.D., Berggren, W.T. et al. The San Diego Nathan Shock Center: tackling the heterogeneity of aging. GeroScience 43, 2139–2148 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-021-00426-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-021-00426-x