 | Helen M. Blau, Ph.D.
Stanford University School of Medicine | | Bone Marrow to Brain: Searching for markers of bone marrow stem cells with neurogenic potential
2001 Senior Scholar Award in Aging
A challenge for the next decade will be to enhance the prospects for the increasing number of elderly
afflicted with debilitating neurological diseases: Parkinson's or stroke. We recently discovered that
adult bone marrow, transplanted into adult recipients, migrates to the brain and adopts... (more) |
|
Jochen Buck, M.D., Ph.D.
Weill Medical College of Cornell University | | Bicarbonate-activated adenylyl cyclase and aging
2001 Senior Scholar Award in Aging
Caloric restriction extends life-span in a wide variety of eukaryotic organisms from yeast to mammals.
Cellular responses to nutritional availability are mediated by the cAMP signaling pathway in bacteria,
cyanobacteria, and unicellular eukaryotes, and Dr. Guarente and co-workers demonstrated the
glucose-activated cAMP-dependent protein... (more) |
|
 | Catherine F. Clarke, Ph.D., co-PI
University of California - Los Angeles |
 | Pamela L. Larsen, Ph.D., co-PI
University of Texas Health Science Center - San Antonio | | Intersection of two pathways in control of aging: nutritional coenzyme Q and DAF-2 signaling
2001 Senior Scholar Award in Aging
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is an excellent model for genetic studies of the
aging process. Mutations in the clk-1 gene of C. elegans result in an extended life span,
slowed development and sluggish behavior. Our studies of the clk-1 mutants suggest that
the slowed rates of aging,... (more) (Dr. Larsen conducted the first 1 ½ years of this award at the University of California – Los Angeles. Thereafter, Drs. Larsen and Clarke continued as co-investigators at separate institutions. ) |
|
 | Lawrence S.B. Goldstein, Ph.D.
University of California - San Diego, Howard Hughes Medical Institute | | Probing the role of axonal transport disturbance and transport-mediated signaling in Alzheimer’s Disease
2001 Senior Scholar Award in Aging
Neuronal degeneration and death are hallmarks of Alzheimer's Disease, but why they
occur is still poorly understood. Most workers accept the hypothesis that degradation of
a neuronal protein called Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) is an early event in the
pathogenesis of Alzheimer's... (more) |
|
 | Stephen Helfand, M.D.
University of Connecticut Health Center | | Genetic Dissection of Aging in Drosophila
2001 Senior Scholar Award in Aging
Single gene mutagenesis is a powerful method for dissecting complex biological phenomena such as
aging. It has been used with great success in developmental biology. One advantage, for aging
research in particular, is that it does not require detailed knowledge of the mechanisms that control
life span. The identification of single gene mutations that... (more) |
|
 | Stuart Lipton, M.D., Ph.D.
Burnham Institute | | Use of Blood Stem Cells to Regenerate Neurons via the Transcription Factor hMEF2C
2001 Senior Scholar Award in Aging
Recently, scientists at our Institute reported that stem cells derived from blood/bone
marrow have the ability to be transformed into nerve cells in the brain. Research in this
proposal will take advantage of this finding to generate large numbers of nerve cells from
a donor’s own blood. We will use a transcription... (more) |
|
 | Victoria Lundblad, Ph.D.
Salk Institute for Biological Studies | | Translating Yeast Telomere Biology to Human Cells: Identification of Activities that Regulate Human Telomere Maintenance and Cellular Proliferation
2001 Senior Scholar Award in Aging
The telomeric caps at the ends of chromosomes are essential for maintaining the integrity of eukaryotic
genomes. Two processes must be fully operational in order to prevent telomere dysfunction:
chromosome ends need to be fully replicated and these... (more)(The first 3 years of this research was conducted at Baylor College of Medicine.) |
|
 | Mark Mayford, Ph.D.
Scripps Research Institute | | Mutagenic Screen for Longevity Genes in Mice
2001 Senior Scholar Award in Aging
Generalized aging at the cellular level is thought to arise from the accumulation of damage
to protein and nucleic acids that eventually results in the impairment of normal cellular
function or transformation of the cells to a cancerous form of growth. How does this
damage occur? One hypothesis that is consistent with invertebrate genetic studies... (more) |
|
 | Simon Melov, Ph.D.
Buck Institute for Age Research | | Critically Testing the Free Radical Theory of Aging, and Development of a Practical Intervention
2001 Senior Scholar Award in Aging
The theory known as the "free radical theory of aging" has achieved prominence as one of
the most compelling explanation for many of the degenerative changes of aging. Ongoing
researches in the study of free radical biochemistry and in the genetics of aging have been
at the forefront of this... (more) |
|
 | Fernando Nottebohm, Ph.D.
Rockefeller University | | Hypothesis to be tested: some aspects of functional aging result from reduced replacement in the adult CNS
2001 Senior Scholar Award in Aging
New neurons continue to be added to the brain of juvenile and adult vertebrates and this phenomenon has been studied in
considerable detail in the high vocal center (HVC) of male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). It is not clear why some HVC neurons
– but not others - are replaced... (more) |
|
 | John Tower, Ph.D.
University of Southern California | | Replicative Senescence of Drosophila Stem Cells in Vivo
2001 Senior Scholar Award in Aging
Adult Drosophila tissues are post-mitotic except for the gonads, which contain both somatic stem cells and germ line stem cells. Oogenesis
declines dramatically during aging, however it is unknown whether this results from a limited replicative potential of the stem cells or from other
factors. Recent technological advances in our laboratory... (more) |
|
 | Phyllis M. Wise, Ph.D.
University of California - Davis | | Estradiol is a Neuroprotective Factor in the Aging Brain: Mechanisms of Action
2001 Senior Scholar Award in Aging
Estrogen appears to protect the aging brain against cognitive dysfunction,
neurodegenerative diseases, and brain injury such as stroke. The menopause is
accompanied by a dramatic and permanent decrease in estrogen levels. During the past
century, the longevity of women has increased from 50 to over 80 years. But,... (more) (Research for the first 1½ years was conducted at the University of Kentucky.) |
|
