The specific Aims of the Nathan Shock Center (NSC) at the University of Michigan (UM) are to: (i) facilitate and stimulate research programs in the cellular and molecular biology of aging; (ii) encourage the career development of biogerontologists, particularly junior faculty and enrich the training environment for trainees; (iii) attract established UM faculty who are not working in biogerontology to initiate studies in this area; and (iv) utilize resources to develop collaborative relationships with other NSCs and with other universities world-wide.
These aims will be achieved through the following initiatives: (i) an Administration/Leadership Core (Faulkner) with a Steering Committee; (ii) Research Development Core (Miller) that supports workshops, pilot grants, and transitional salary support for junior faculty; (iii) five research resource cores; Mutant and Transgenic Rodent Core (Moalli), Cellular Imaging Core (Carlson), Contractility Core (Faulkner), Molecular Spectroscopy and Imaging Core (Gafni),, and Gene Expression Profiling Core (Miller); (iv) an annual meeting of all UM NSC investigators to provide direct input to the Director and the Steering Committee; and (v) an External Advisory Committee. During the 4 years of NIA support, the NSC has done much to facilitate and stimulate research on aging since the participants have grown from 22 scientists all at the UM to 47 scientists at the UM and 29 scientists at USA and foreign universities. The NSC at UM has also developed several joint programs with the NSC at UTHSC at San Antonio. In 1999-2000, the externally funded research on aging was 85 grants from NIA (55), NIH (8), and other sources (2) for a total direct costs of $21 for a total direct costs of $21,023,978. For NSC scientists at the UM, the number of NIA grants have increased from 9 to 24, the grants on aging from all sources from 19 to 35, and the program projects from one to three. The 76 NSC scientists are investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms of aging through multi-disciplinary research in a dozen or more diverse research themes. The NSC at the UM are from twelve basic science disciplines. The senior scientists provide a high level of leadership to the NSC through directing cores, serving on the Steering and other committees, directing conferences and workshops, mentoring junior faculty and trainees, and organizing multi-disciplinary collaborative research groups. The NSC has enhanced the quality and quantity of research in the basic biology of aging for senior and junior scientists and trainees at UM and at other universities world-wide.
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