New center on aging to be established

he University is one of four institutions nationwide chosen to receive funding for a prestigious center focusing on biological issues related to aging. The awards by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) are made to institutions that already have highly respected programs in aging research. The purpose is to help investigators take advantage of sophisticated new technology and work closely together as they seek to understand the aging process.

The award establishing a Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in Basic Biology of Aging brings with it $2.5 million for the University over the next five years. The Rochester Nathan Shock Center also will serve as a resource for scientists and physicians throughout Upstate New York, particularly at SUNY at Buffalo and the SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse. The center will be headed by Howard Federoff, director of the Center for Aging and Developmental Biology.

At Rochester the focus will be on the basic molecular and cellular biology of aging. Complex cell biology forms the foundation for nearly everything that happens in the body. Cell biology also is an area in which the University's researchers excel. Currently at the Medical Center there are more than two dozen major research projects looking at the basic biology of diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. At the same time, tens of thousands of patients turn to doctors at Strong Memorial Hospital each year for treatment, along with other patients who use facilities like the Center for Lifetime Wellness to stay fit and healthy as they age. The Shock Center will help bring those researchers and physicians together.

"This center will serve as a catalyst to enhance our portfolio of aging-related research," said Federoff. "The grant will help many investigators become better researchers, and it will help the National Institute on Aging to identify talented researchers who can be persuaded to study problems relevant to aging. Every additional researcher studying aging-related issues gives us a better shot at successful treatments for disease in the future."

The Nathan Shock Centers are named for the first scientific director of NIA who was a pioneer in the field of aging research.

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