Tulane to lead a $4 million NIH-funded center for aging research
The National Institutes of Health will award up to $4 million over five years to establish a coordinating center for research on aging. Led by the Tulane National Primate Research Center and developed in partnership with the California National Primate Research Center and Baylor College of Medicine, the coordinating center will focus on advancing aging research through studies of nonhuman primates.
The Coordinating Center for Primate Aging Research will unite leading researchers to build a comprehensive infrastructure for aging studies, emphasizing the harmonizing and integration of data across multiple projects. The center will facilitate collaboration by creating working groups and a dedicated platform for sharing data, best practices and research findings. It will coordinate efforts across seven complementary grants, all aimed at identifying factors that influence aging and longevity.
“Our goal is to enhance the quality of aging research by ensuring that studies are effectively coordinated and data is easily accessible,” said Jay Rappaport, Tulane National Primate Research Center director. “This center will serve as a hub for researchers working to understand the biological processes that influence aging, with the potential to uncover new ways to promote healthier, longer lives.”
Nonhuman primates share many physiological, genetic, and neurobiological traits with humans. While some species live less than five years, others can live for 50 years or more. By studying the differences in life spans, life histories, and aging outcomes between humans and various nonhuman primates, researchers aim to pinpoint key factors that drive the aging process. Understanding these factors could pave the way for new strategies to promote healthier aging in humans.
Tulane will oversee data management, study alignment and the reliability of research findings, ensuring that each study complements the others while avoiding unnecessary duplication of resources, including animal subjects. Building on its success as the coordinating center for COVID-19 research, the Tulane National Primate Research Center is well-positioned to lead this large-scale effort, synthesizing studies to produce valuable comparative data.
“This grant reflects the cutting-edge research capabilities of the Tulane National Primate Research Center and our partners,” Rappaport said. “By bringing together a diverse group of specialists, the coordinating center on aging will facilitate research that could lead to breakthroughs in understanding the biology of aging, ultimately benefiting human health and longevity.”
The interdisciplinary nature of the center fosters collaboration through a national network, drawing together researchers from various fields to achieve significant results. The project is expected to yield important insights into the aging process, potentially leading to improved health outcomes and extended life spans.
The National Institute on Aging, part of the NIH, funds the aging coordinating center.
