Researchers at UTHealth Houston have embarked on a $3.3 million study to explore how diet and eating patterns affect the body's internal clock and aging process. The project, funded by the National Institute on Aging, aims to uncover strategies for disease prevention and healthy aging.
The study is led by Dr. Faraz Bishehsari, professor and vice chair of Clinical and Translational Research in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, alongside Dr. Mahboobeh Mahdavinia, professor of allergy and immunology and the John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern Distinguished Chair in Internal Medicine.
The research seeks to understand how eating habits and circadian rhythms impact gut and pancreatic health as people age. According to the study team, this could significantly enhance quality of life during aging.
Many age-related diseases are linked to low-grade systemic inflammation or "inflammaging," a chronic inflammation affecting multiple organs due to changes in the microbiome and intestinal barrier breakdown.
“As we age, changes in the microbiome and intestinal barrier can lead to chronic inflammation and damage to the intestine and other organs, like the pancreas,” said Bishehsari. He is establishing a multidisciplinary Gastroenterology Research Center in the Department of Internal Medicine at UTHealth Houston.
Bishehsari and Mahdavinia will examine both animals and humans in their research. They aim to identify how different mealtimes affect inflammation and aging in mice's guts and pancreas, seeking specific patterns linking meal timing to aging processes.
The researchers will also investigate how disruptions to circadian rhythms influence gut bacteria and pancreas functions in humans. By studying human gut bacteria and circadian patterns, they hope to find targets for future therapeutic interventions promoting healthy aging.
“With the population of older individuals growing faster than any other age group, prioritizing healthy living in later years is more crucial than ever,” Mahdavinia said.
“Our research could uncover new targets for microbial or circadian interventions that could significantly influence the aging process,” Bishehsari added.
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