Advancing Research
by funding Grant Programs and Fellowships
Driving Innovation
by guiding studies such as the FAST Initiative, the SuperAgers Initiative, and the TAME Trial
Furthering the Field
by supporting the infrastructure of three NIA Initiatives and leading the Amplifying Geroscience Initiative.
Top Breakthroughs driven by AFAR Experts
Delaying Disease by Targeting Aging
Saving Costs by Extending Healthspan
What are the Hallmarks of Aging?
What is Geroscience?
What is the Longevity Dividend?
A loss of muscle repair function is associated with age. Studies have shown that muscle stem cells (MuSCs), which are essential for maintaining and repairing muscles, show a marked reduction in regenerative capacity in elderly versus young-adult individuals. The decline in MuSC self-renewal with age has been attributed to changes in the muscle tissue microenvironment and metabolic, transcriptional, and signaling pathways in MuSCs themselves. In the proposed study, Dr. Ben Cosgrove will investigate the MuSCs in human muscle tissues to identify their molecular signatures and their regulatory pathway features using new single-cell profiling methods. The goal of this study is to identify the molecular patterns that distinguish healthy from declining stem cells, and to determine if and how they can be targeted to enhance muscle repair in the elderly. Insights into the decline in stem cell function in aged muscles will help develop new therapeutic approaches in the clinic.
