Individualized Approaches to Geroscience-Guided Interventions for the Promotion of Healthy and Independent Aging

Geriatric Assessment

R25AG073119 NIA/NIH. Kuchel (contact MPI)  Espinoza, Justice, Newman, Pignolo (MPIs) 07/2021-06/2024

NIA Geroscience Education and Training (GET) Network           

Geroscience-guided therapies seeking to alleviate chronic conditions of aging as a group by targeting basic aging processes are now entering clinical trials. The discovery, validation and translation into routine clinical care of such transformational therapies will require a robust and diverse geroscience workforce and training pipeline. We are proposing the creation of a network model designed to integrate expertise, knowledge, and resources across multiple institutions and organizations in addressing the following Aims. Aim 1: Develop shared geroscience curricula and educational materials initially targeting medical, PhD students and geriatric medicine fellows. Aim 2: Develop a Certificate in Geroscience Research Program to train the next generation of geroscience researchers by offering multidisciplinary training in geroscience. Aim 3: Ensure optimal dissemination of the educational materials developed through this award.

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

1. Multidisciplinary approaches to the study of aging emphasizing inter-individual variability and resilience mechanisms pertaining to mobility, voiding, cognition and host defense


2. Design and validation of geroscience-guided interventions into aging and common chronic diseases of aging


3. Personalized and mechanism-guided approaches to the diagnosis and management of common geriatric syndromes – “Precision Geroscience”

CURRENT RESEARCH FUNDING:

NIH/NIA P30 AG067988  Kuchel and Fortinsky (MPIs) 8/15/2021-06/30/2026. UConn Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center. The Claude D Pepper Older Americans Independence Center at UConn (UConn OAIC) seeks to develop clinical strategies for enhancing function and independence in older adults that are more precise, personalized, and effective accomplished through a multidisciplinary emphasis on Precision Gerontology. Role: MPI (Contact)

NIAID/NIH U01 AI165452 A deep longitudinal analysis of next generation influenza vaccines in older adults. MPIs: Duygu Ucar (Jackson Lab), Adolfo Garcia-Sastre (Mount Sinai), George Kuchel (UConn). 1/1/2022 – 2/28/2027. - Multiple PI

NIH/NIA R33 AG061456 Kirkland, Kritchevsky, Kuchel, Tchkonia (MPIs) 2/01/2019-11/30/2023. Translational Geroscience Network. The role of the NIA Translational Geroscience Network (TGN) is to overcome barriers to the translation of new geroscience-guided therapies from bench research to human studies and ultimately clinical care. Role: Multiple PI (MPI). See link for more information on the TGN network (https://www.gerosciencenetwork.org/).

R25AG073119 NIA/NIH. Kuchel (contact MPI UConn)  Espinoza (UT San Antonio), Justice (Wake Forest), Newman (UCSF/Buck Institute), Pignolo (Mayo) -MPIs; 07/2021-06/2026. NIA Geroscience Education and Training (GET) Network.  Geroscience-guided therapies seeking to alleviate chronic conditions of aging as a group by targeting basic aging processes are now entering clinical trials. The discovery, validation and translation into routine clinical care of such transformational therapies will require a robust and diverse geroscience workforce and training pipeline. We are proposing the creation of a network model designed to integrate expertise, knowledge, and resources across multiple institutions and organizations in addressing the following Aims. Aim 1: Develop shared geroscience curricula and educational materials initially targeting medical, PhD students and geriatric medicine fellows. Aim 2: Develop a Certificate in Geroscience Research Program to train the next generation of geroscience researchers by offering multidisciplinary training in geroscience. Aim 3: Ensure optimal dissemination of the educational materials developed through this award.

NIH/NIA R01 AG051647  Binder (PI, Washington U) 9/15/2017-05/31/2022. Combining Testosterone Therapy and Exercise to Improve Function Post Hip Fracture. Dr. Richard Fortinsky and Dr. Kuchel (site Co-PIs) are site leaders of a multicenter randomized clinical trial of testosterone therapy and exercise training on functional capacity in frail older women following hip fracture. Role: Co-Investigator

NIH/NIAID R01 AI142086 Banchereau(PI; Jackson Lab)02/14/2020-01/31/2024. High-Resolution Single Cell Profiling of Vaccine Responsiveness in the Elderly. Cell-mediated vaccine protection will be studied in samples from earlier flu vaccine study. Role: Co-Investigator

IHS-1502-27171 (PCORI)  Fortinsky (PI) 05/01/2016-10/31/2023. 3D Team Care for Cognitively Vulnerable Older Adults. Achieving better outcomes for cognitively vulnerable community-dwelling older adults living with dementia, depression, and/or delirium via home-based clinical care teams guided by APRNs with geriatrics expertise. Role: Co-Investigator

NIH/NIA R01 AG058814  Kuchel and Levine (MPIs) 05/15/2019-01/31/2024. Detrusor Underactivity as an HCN-mediated Failure of Resilience in Aging. The main goal of this project is to investigate the role of a “pacemaker” ion channel in the age evolution of a control mechanism critical to neural regulation of bladder volume sensitivity. Role: Contact MPI

NIH/NIA R21 AG060018-02S1 Kuo (PI) 09/01/2020-06/30/2021.Understanding the Role of ApoE2 in Longevity and Age-Related Diseases and Conditions Using 500,000 UK Biobank Participants-Administrative Supplement. We hypothesize that patients with ApoE e3e4 or e4e4 genotypes are more likely than e3e3 to experience delirium during COVID-19 related hospitalizations and be diagnosed with cognitive impairment and dementia. Role: Co-Investigator

NIH/NIGMS R35 GM124922 Ucar (PI; Jackson Lab) 08/01/2017-07/31/2022. Identification and Interpretation of Chromatin Changes Associated with the Aging of Human Immune Cells. The goal of these studies is to define chromatin changes associated with aging in human immune cells. Role: Co-Investigator

NIH/NIA UH3AG056925-S1  Colon-Emeric, Whitson (PIs; Duke) 09/30/2019-08/31/2021. Physical Resiliencies: Indicators and Mechanisms in the Elderly Collaborative-Administrative Supplement. Immunogenomic signatures of resilience in baseline samples of subjects with PCR-proven flu infection. Role: Consortium Co-Investigator

NIH/NIA UH3AG056925-03 Colon-Emeric, Whitson (PIs; Duke)10/01/2019-09/30/2022. Physical Resiliencies: Indicators and Mechanisms in the Elderly Collaborative Role: Consultant

NIH/NINR R21 NR018963 Kuo (PI) 09/02/2020-07/31/2022. Identifying Potentially Modifiable Exposures to Improve Telomere Health and Disease Outcomes. We will use UK Biobank data to delineate modifiable exposures that directly influence or moderate telomere length, and how these influence health and risk of disease. Role: Co-Investigator

NIH/NIA R01 AG072301 Kirkland (PI; Mayo) 09/15/2020-05/31/2023. COVID-FIS: A phase 2 placebo-controlled pilot study in covid-19 of fisetin to alleviate dysfunction and excessive inflammatory response in older adults in nursing homes. RCT to test if senolytic drug fisetin prevents nursing home residents with COVID-19 from adverse outcomes Role: Co-Investigator/Site PI UConn 

NIH/NIA R56 AG060746 Oh, Robison, Kuchel (MPIs) 9/01/2019-08/31/2021. Microbiome Plasticity and Pathogenicity in Older Adults: Baselines and Transitions from Skilled Nursing Care. We will examine differences in microbiomes between older adults residing in different long-term care facilities and follow their return to the community, assessing baseline differences and microbiome “plasticity” on transition. Role: Multiple PI

Accepting Lab Rotation Students: Summer 2022, Fall 2022, and Spring 2023

Research Rotation Projects

Depending on trainee background and career interests they may include experiences involving basic bench science, human subject research or in selected cases  training in the translational T1 (bench to bedside) sciences.

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