Clinical Research Resource Core Summary/Abstract The Clinical Research Resource Core 1 (CR–RC1) will continue to function as the primary UTMB OAIC resource for subject recruitment, tracking and retention activities, and for training of our Scholars in clinical research. The core will support three streams of investigator initiated activities. First, it will provide expertise and resources for translational and mechanistic investigations on the pathophysiology of muscle aging and sarcopenia. Second, the core will provide expertise and resources for the assessment of functional status and disability using a standardized battery of subjective and objective measures. Third, we will also provide support for innovative qualitative studies in patient centered outcomes research (PCOR) in recovery from illness, a new area of research in which several of our investigators are funded and have initiated studies. All CR–RC1 activities will support the broader OAIC theme: “Identify pathways of physical function loss and gain and develop targeted interventions to improve functional recovery from illness in older adults”. The Specific Aims of the CR-RC1 are: 1. Recruit, track and retain older adults for scholar projects, external projects, developmental and pilot studies 2. Provide standardized health screenings, physical exams, functional status and disability assessments for OAIC investigators. 3. Maintain a health outcomes database on patients admitted to the UTMB Acute Care for Elders (ACE) Unit and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). 4. Coordinate training in recruitment and retention, and functional assessments. 5. Ensure compliance with regulations governing clinical investigations involving human subjects. 6. Develop novel methodologies to improve research subject recruitment, retention and satisfaction. The CR-RC1 will enhance OAIC research quality and efficiency, improve scientific productivity and provide development opportunities for scholars via a centralized and coordinated subject recruitment, tracking and retention strategy.
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center has fostered a multidisciplinary translational research culture to fulfill our mission, which is to improve physical function and independence in older adults. Central to this mission is the career development and training of the next generation of leaders in geriatric research. Our scientific focus has evolved over the years from a specific interest in the mechanisms of sarcopenia to the translation of our findings in patient-centered interventions to improve physical function and independence. We have nurtured scientific collaborations among investigators in many areas of the translational spectrum. These efforts have resulted in the development of the theme for the next cycle. We will Identify pathways of physical function loss and gain and develop targeted interventions to improve functional recovery from illness in older adults and pursue the following scientific objectives: a) Identify pathways affecting physical function and functional recovery from illness in older adults; b) Identify potential interventions to improve the trajectories of functional recovery in geriatric patients; c) Determine the efficacy of the identified interventions in clinicl trials in geriatric patients. The programmatic specific aims are: 1. Stimulate the growth of additional multidisciplinary translational research to improve physical function and functional recovery from illness in older adults by funding pilot and developmental projects. 2. Train future leaders in geriatric research. 3. Recruit established investigators in other areas to research related to the OAIC focus. 4. Provide core support and add value to funded translational research on function and recovery in the elderly. 5. Foster collaborations between UTMB investigators and investigators at other OAICs. Our specific aims will be accomplished by supporting multidisciplinary translational teams via coordination and integration through the Leadership/Administrative Core (LAC) of the activities of our Research Career Development Core/KL2 program (RCDC/KL2), the Pilot/Exploratory Studies Core (PESC) and the three Resource Cores (RC) that encompass the major areas of our multidisciplinary translational research model: Clinical Research RC1, Metabolism and Biology RC2, and Biostatistics and Data Management RC3.
Leadership/Administrative Core Summary/Abstract The Leadership/Administrative Core (LAC) provides the administrative infrastructure and leadership to support the activities and growth of the entire UTMB OAIC, and fulfill our mission, which is to stimulate translation of the research findings to improve physical function and independence in older adults. The LAC specific aims are: 1. Provide overall leadership and direction for all activities of the UTMB OAIC. 2. Administer the UTMB OAIC program. 3. Communicate with the NIA and the community. To facilitate communication, promote scientific coherence and idea-generation, and bring new researchers to aging the LAC leadership takes two approaches to fostering multidisciplinary training and research in aging. A structural/administrative approach which includes monitoring FOAs and announcements for new research opportunities, distributing institution-wide announcements of OAIC and other funding and training opportunities, and organizing meetings for OAIC investigators, scholars, trainees and campus-wide presentations. The LAC also employs a proactive approach involving one-on-one conversations and networking, ad hoc small-group discussions focused on problem-solving, enlisting new individuals into the process, including investigators outside the aging field. Once Investigators and ideas are identified, we foster the creation of multidisciplinary translational teams, or modification of an existing one, and support them so that they can respond to new opportunities.
Metabolism and Biology Resource Core Summary/Abstract The Metabolism and Biology Resource Core 2 (MB-RC2) of the UTMB OAIC supports and promotes integrative and translational research on the metabolic and biological mechanisms underlying functional loss and recovery in older adults. The MB-RC2 also supports biological sample storage, tracking and handling for clinical trials. The theme of the UTMB OAIC is: Identify pathways of physical function loss and gain and develop targeted interventions to improve functional recovery from illness in older adults. The MB-RC2 significantly contributes to the OAIC theme and goals by providing fundamental and innovative analytical services, biorepository facilities, training and expertise to explore the biological (molecular and cellular) metabolic (protein, fat, glucose and energy) pathways involved in muscle loss and functional recovery in older adults. Understanding the metabolic and biological pathways of functional loss is critical to identify therapeutic targets for treatments. The specific aims of the MB-RC2 are: 1. Provide analytical support and add value to funded translational research on sarcopenia, physical dysfunction and recovery requiring molecular, morphological, or tracer methodologies 2. Leverage other institutional analytical core resources and simplify access for OAIC investigators 3. Develop new translational methods to study the biological and metabolic mechanisms of sarcopenia, physical function and recovery in older adults 4. Train young investigators on the analytical and methodological aspects of translational research on physical function in older adults The MB-RC2 will promote integration of molecular, cellular and tracer methodologies within individual experiments in humans to discover the mechanisms that underlie specific pathophysiological responses in older adults. It will also stimulate reverse translation from clinical findings to the bench, which will allow us to refine our basic knowledge and perform pre-clinical testing of novel interventions for functional loss with aging.
