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?
The overall goal of the proposed study is to improve vaccination and immune fitness in older adults. In healthy adults, infections with pathogenic intracellular microorganism are effectively cleared by the response of cytotoxic (CD8+) T cells. In the elderly, these responses are weaker and delayed, due to an impairment in activation and/or coordination of T cells and other cells participating in the immune response. This proposal will aim to improve immune T cell responses in aged mice through administration of innate immune system agonists. In addition we will investigate the toxicity of these compounds in aged versus adult animals and explore initial translation to humans.
