# Epigenetic markers, functional status, and exercise in older adults with myeloid neoplasms

> **NIH NIH R03** · UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER · 2022 · $154,000

## Abstract

Over 60% of myeloid neoplasms (MN) are diagnosed in adults aged ≥60 years, and up to 73% of older patients
with MN experience functional impairment before and during chemotherapy. Establishing biomarkers to identify
older patients with MN at risk for functional decline and understanding the mechanisms of decline could guide
interventions to prevent functional decline. DNA methylation (DNAm) age, a novel and promising biomarker of
biological age, may be used to identify older patients at risk for functional decline. DNAm age captures
additional information such as exposures and other stressors that make it a better reflection of biological age
compared to chronological age. Accelerated DNAm age (DNAm age minus chronological age) is associated
with functional decline, frailty, morbidity, and mortality in the general population. Cancer risk is associated with
accelerated DNAm age and chemotherapy leads to profound DNAm changes from pre- to post-chemotherapy
in older adults with cancer. The literature suggests that DNAm age may be a better indicator of risk for
functional decline among older patients with MN than chronological age. DNAm is influenced by exercise which
slows the rate of DNAm age increase over time; exercise is also a promising intervention to prevent functional
decline in older patients with MN. It is not yet known, however, whether exercise can slow the rate of DNAm
age increase or reverse DNAm age in patients with cancer. Understanding exercise-induced epigenetic
changes in older patients with MN, a high risk population, is of great clinical significance. The candidate, Dr.
Kah Poh Loh, is board-certified in internal medicine, hematology, oncology, and geriatrics. As part of her NCI
K99/R00, Dr. Loh has initiated a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess the preliminary efficacy of an
mHealth exercise intervention versus control on functional status in older patients with MN receiving outpatient
chemotherapy over 12 weeks. The GEMSSTAR R03 will allow Dr. Loh to leverage this unique study to
investigate 1) to investigate the association of accelerated peripheral blood DNAm age with functional decline
in older adults with MN, 2) to explore exercise-induced epigenetic changes in older patients with MN, and 3) to
explore the correlation between peripheral blood and bone marrow DNAm ages. The R03 will complement Dr.
Loh’s K99/R00 by allowing her to study DNAm age as a novel biomarker of functional decline and the effect of
exercise on DNAm on older adults with cancer. In addition, Dr. Loh will be able to expand her training in
epigenetics, bioinformatics, and translational research in cancer and aging under the guidance of an excellent
mentoring team. Together, Dr. Loh’s R03 and K99/R00 will provide preliminary data for a phase 3 RCT
evaluating the effects of a mHealth exercise intervention on functional decline and epigenetic markers. The
combined training and research plan will also position Dr. Loh to become one of the few g...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10517787
- **Project number:** 1R03AG073985-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Kah Poh Loh
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $154,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-08-01 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10517787

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10517787, Epigenetic markers, functional status, and exercise in older adults with myeloid neoplasms (1R03AG073985-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10517787. Licensed CC0.

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