The theme of the Arkansas OAIC at UAMS is """"""""Translational research on cardiac and skeletal muscle dysfunction in aging and disease."""""""" The main goals of the Arkansas OAIC are 1) To promote research that will both provide a mechanistic understanding of the basis for declining skeletal muscle function and myocardial performance with advancing age and translate what is learned from those studies to intervention studies that will ultimately affect nutritional recommendations and standard of care in the elderly; 2) To introduce state-of-the-art methodologies for studying protein metabolism to better enable basic molecular-based studies to ultimately translate the findings to the performance of clinical trials aimed at improving outcomes in elderly individuals; 3) use novel nutritional interventions in the prevention and treatment of cardiac and skeletal muscle weakness; 4) To train a new generation of geriatricians and gerontologists in improving functional independence of older Americans through therapeutic nutritional interventions. These goals will be achieved via the following Specific Aims.
Specific Aim 1. Provide scientific, intellectual, and innovation leadership among UAMS investigators.
Specific Aim 2. Stimulate translation between basic and clinical research through collaboration and interaction among investigators to improve our understanding of mechanisms contributing to declining skeletal muscle function and myocardial performance with age. Interventions will include, but not be limited to, therapeutic nutrient supplementation.
Specific Aim 3. Stimulate incorporation of emerging technologies and novel methods and approaches in analyzing protein metabolism and nutritional interventions for cardiac and skeletal muscle weakness.
Specific Aim 4. Serve as a source of advice and collaboration to other institutions (especially OUHSC and other OAICs) regarding technology and expertise in the center theme of the proposal and facilitate multi- and interdisciplinary strategies.
Specific Aim 5. Provide career development for future research leaders by increasing the recruitment of young and established investigators In aging, while emphasizing recruitment of minorities to UAMS.
Specific Aim 6. Expand the research outreach to maximally include minority representation in all studies. This OAIC would help translate innovative muscle research to improve care, including for the rural elderly.
This research will broaden our understanding of weakness of the cardiac and skeletal muscles that occurs as a result of aging or age-related diseases. We will also design methods to prevent and treat this weakness with nutrient supplementation, therapeutic nutrition and/or other interventions and improve the cardiac and skeletal muscle health of seniors. This OAIC will be instrumental in training the next generation of researchers in translational aging research to improve the functional independence of older Americans.
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