# San Antonio Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER · 2024 · $1,242,626

## Abstract

A core tenet of the geroscience concept is that multiple human diseases arise from aging itself. Thus, the
central theme of the San Antonio (SA) Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC)
is translational geroscience – moving research on the basic biology of aging from the laboratory bench to the
clinic, with the overarching goal of promoting healthy aging and developing desperately needed treatments,
mainly pharmacological, for aging-related diseases. This goal is achieved through the following Aims:
 1) Expand the knowledge base in translational geroscience by catalyzing transformative research; 2) Create
a cadre of multidisciplinary early-stage investigators with customized expertise in translational geroscience; 3)
Serve as a resource and partner to investigators from other OAICs and institutions; and 4) Provide intellectual
leadership, disseminate knowledge, and stimulate discussion on translational geroscience-related themes.
 The SA OAIC achieves these Aims through a Leadership and Administrative Core (LAC) that directs
operations and sponsors several enrichment and dissemination activities; a Pilot and Exploratory Studies Core
(PESC) that provides merit-based support for rigorously designed studies; a Research Education Component
(REC) that expands a greatly needed cadre of uniquely qualified scientists cross-trained in aging biology and
translational geroscience; a Pre-Clinical Research Core (RC1) which supports research in marmoset monkeys;
a Clinical Research and Pharmacology Core (RC2) that delivers comprehensive trial support for
recruitment/retention, assessments, pharmacology, and data management; and a Trial Design and Integrative
Informatics Core (RC3) that provides comprehensive study design, biostatistics and informatics services.
 During the ~4 years since its funding, the SA OAIC supported 46 PIs, performing transformative translational
geroscience-focused research in essentially all pillars/hallmarks of aging. For example, RC1 is conducting the
only known lifespan and healthspan study on mTOR inhibitors in nonhuman primates. RC2 and RC3 carried out
the first trial on rapamycin to examine immune and cognitive effects in healthy older adults and performed the
first-in-man studies on senolytics. The OAIC supported 10 Scholars who are making transformative discoveries
(e.g. first demonstration of cellular senescence as a key mediator of Alzheimer's pathology) and receiving highly
competitive career development awards from the NIA/AFAR (Beeson, Irene Diamond) and the VA.
 The SA OAIC is built on a unique foundation provided by UTHSCSA's exceptional and tightly integrated
resources: a Nathan Shock Center, a site of the Interventions Testing Program (ITP), a GRECC, a T32 Training
Grant on Geroscience, and a robust Barshop Institute that unites aging research at UTHSCSA. We are the only
OAIC with all of these synergistic components available. In addition, the SA OAIC receives unparalleled
institutional commitment (~...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10898677
- **Project number:** 5P30AG044271-10
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** RANDY STRONG
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $1,242,626
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2015-06-15 → 2025-08-14

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10898677

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10898677, San Antonio Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (5P30AG044271-10). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10898677. Licensed CC0.

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