The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will award up to $4 million over five years to a consortium comprising Baylor College of Medicine, the Tulane National Primate Research Center, and the California National Primate Research Center. The grant aims to establish a coordinating center for research on aging, highlighting the leadership of these institutions in advancing understanding of aging across primate species.
Led by Dr. Jay Rappaport, director of the Tulane National Primate Research Center; Dr. Jeffrey Rogers of Baylor College of Medicine; and Dr. John Morrison from the University of California at Davis, the aging coordinating center will consolidate results from aging-related research involving both humans and nonhuman primates. The Tulane primate center will serve as the project lead.
Nonhuman primates share significant physiological, genetic, and neurobiological traits with humans. By comparing life spans and aging outcomes between humans and various nonhuman primates—some species living less than five years while others live up to 50 years or more—scientists aim to identify key factors influencing aging processes. Insights gained could translate into new strategies for promoting healthier aging in humans.
“We at Baylor College of Medicine are excited to play this important role in advancing knowledge of the processes that influence healthy aging and lifespan,” said Rogers, associate professor in the Human Genome Sequencing Center at Baylor. “Nonhuman primates provide a natural experiment in lifespan extension. The comparisons among species that this program is designed to support will increase our understanding of some basic elements of aging. In that way we will generate new insights that we hope will translate into improved health and well-being in humans.”
The new coordinating center's goal is to manage data, coordinate across research studies, and ensure highly reliable and replicable results. This approach aims to avoid unnecessary duplication of studies and resources while ensuring complementary research efforts. Baylor researchers will also focus on supporting genetic and genomic aspects within these comparative studies.
“This grant is a testament to the cutting-edge research capabilities of the TNPRC and our partners,” Rappaport said. “By bringing together a diverse group of specialists, the coordinating center on aging will facilitate innovative research that could lead to breakthroughs in understanding the biology of aging, ultimately benefiting human health and longevity.”
