Biology of Aging Research
Biology of Aging researchers are housed on the Health Science Center’s main campus in the Medical Center or at the Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging.
The Barshop Institute provides a wide range of core services and clinical facilities as well as cutting edge programs involving state-of-the-art technologies such as genomics and proteomics, transgenic animal models, and pathological assessments. The Barshop Institute is one of the few places in the country that can both investigate the aging process and move the findings into the clinic. For the past decade, the Barshop Institute has annually ranked 1st or 2nd in National Institute on Aging (NIA) funding among Texas Institutions, and is highly ranked in the country in National Institute of Health funding
The University of Texas Health at San Antonio is the only institution in the U.S. having both a Nathan Shock Center of Excellence on the Biology of Aging as well as an Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (often called “Pepper Center”).
UT Health San Antonio and The Barshop Institute also hold an NIA-funded T32 training grant in the Biology of Aging focused on basic and translational geroscience. The program funds 4 predoctoral and 4 postdoctoral positions.
Our areas of research include:
- Aging and Cancer: Bishop, Chatterjee, Curiel, Dahia, Ghosh-Choudhury, Hasty, Ikeno, Jiang, Leach, Li, Morita, Oyajobi, Sharp, Shiio, Sun, Sung
- Aging-Related Neurodegeneration: Chen, Fox, Frost, Galvan, Giuffrida, Hopp, Jiang, Kokovay, Lafer, Lechleiter, Morilak, O’Connor, Orr, Paukert, Pickering, Ran, Renteria, Sayre, Seshadri, Strong
- Comparative Biology and Invertebrate Models of Aging: Chen, Fisher, Frost, Kraig, Larsen, Pickering, Rodriguez,
- Inflammation and Immunity: Clark, Curiel, Espinoza, Griffith, Kraig, Musi, Yeh
- Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Bioenergetics of Aging: Adamo, Bai, DeFronzo, Dong, Fisher, Fujikawa, Han, Kamat, Kasinath, Larsen, Liu, Muniswamy, Musi, Nelson, Salmon, Sharma, Zang
- Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells: Chen, Hornsby, Kokovay, Li, Li, McCarrey, Sun, Walter
- Translational and Interventions: Clark, Espinoza, Fisher, Kasinath, Kellogg, Musi, Pickering, Reveles, Strong
Our center and core facilities include:
Nathan Shock Barshop Institute Center
The goals of the San Antonio Nathan Shock Center:
- To be a leader in research that advances our understanding of the biology of aging
- To provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ venue to accelerate transformative research in the biology of aging
- To foster and promote career development of early-stage investigators in aging biology
- To serve as a resource and partner to investigators from other Shock Centers, institutions, and the public, for dissemination of scientific knowledge and enhancing awareness about aging research
San Antonio Claude D. Pepper Center
As a recipient of the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC) grant from the National Institute of Aging (NIA), the Barshop Institute is furthering research efforts towards the clinical aspect. The Pepper Center designation enables translation of research into practical applications in the lives of older Americans. The Barshop Institute is one of the few places in the country that can both investigate the aging process and move the findings into the clinic.
San Antonio Aging Interventions Testing Program
Director: Randy Strong, Ph.D.
Co-Director: James Nelson, Ph.D.
The Aging Interventions Testing Program (ITP) at San Antonio is funded by the Biology of Aging Program of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to evaluate treatment strategies likely to prevent or delay adverse age-dependent changes in cells and tissues, and to diminish the burden of disease in old age. Interventions considered for the program include, but are not limited to pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, plant extracts, hormones, chelators, and redox agents.
San Antonio Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC)
Established in 1987, the San Antonio Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) serves elderly Veterans in central and south Texas. The mission of the San Antonio GRECC is to be a center of excellence for the advancement of research, education, and clinical care in geriatrics and gerontology. Through the commitment, motivation, creativity, and dedication from all the people who are part of the GRECC, and affiliated institutions and centers, we strive to improve the life of older Veterans that served our Country.
Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium Adult Clinical Center
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) have created the University of Texas Adult Clinical Center (UTACC) for the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC) www.motrpac.org.
Marmoset Aging Center
Director: Suzette Tardif, Ph.D.
The Marmoset Aging Center has established a specific-pathogen free, barrier-maintained colony of marmosets — a unique primate model for the study of aging and age-related disease. The Center is the only facility in the world that maintains marmosets under barrier conditions, to promote excellent health and produce large numbers of aged animals for research.
Naked Mole-Rat Aging Center
The Naked Mole-Rat Center seeks to gain a better understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that the longest-lived rodent, the naked mole-rat (NMR) uses to thwart the aging process and maintain cancer-free good health well into their third decade of life. In particular, the Center is currently using genomic and metabolomics approaches to address the underlying mechanisms that facilitate the maintenance of protein stability and genomic integrity in rodents of disparate longevity.
UT Health San Antonio Institutes and Centers
UT Health San Antonio operates centers and institutes within nine organized research units, as well as institutes and centers such as our Greehey Children's Cancer Institute and NCI-designated Mays Cancer Center. Learn more about our institutes and centers >>
Greehey Academic & Research Campus
The Greehey campus is located at the north side of UT Health San Antonio campus at 8403 Floyd Curl Dr San Antonio, TX 78229. Learn about the Greehey facilities >>
Core Facilites
The core facilities provide researchers with access to state-of-the-art instrumentation and consultation, including access to advanced research technologies. Learn about the core facilities >>