Abstract Energetics of Longevity Core The Wisconsin Nathan Shock Center (WiNSC) will build upon the remarkable strengths of the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) to provide state-of-the-art resources, infrastructure, and expertise in the basic biology of aging. It has recently become clear that metabolism is of central importance in the biology of aging, with both diet composition and timing, as well as key molecular sensors of nutrient availability, having profound effects on healthy aging and lifespan. The Energetics of Longevity Core will serve as a central hub for both novel and existing services to which WiNSC members, Research Award grant recipients, and the national aging community will have access. The innovative platforms established as part of this core includes 1) a Metabolite Tracer platform, which in collaboration with the Discovery and Integration Core D will enable molecule-level tracing of metabolites as they move through the cells and bodies of rodents of different ages subjected to different dietary, genetic, and pharmaceutical interventions; and 2) a Genetics Toolkit which will provide resources and training to help geroscientists leverage the growing datasets from aging studies conducted in genetically diverse mice. Integration with the Translation and Application Core E will support the Liquid Biopsy platform in generating multiple species panels for translation and reverse translation studies. Finally, we will establish and guide users through existing UW-Madison resources that are relevant to WiNSC’s mission, including the Mouse Phenotyping and Surgery Service, Advanced Genome Editing Lab, Animal Models Core, Small Animal Imaging and Radiotherapy Facility, Behavior Testing Service, Flow Cytometry Laboratory, Translational Research Initiatives in Pathology Laboratory, Comparative Pathology Laboratory, and the Optical Imaging Core. Access to services will be fee-based and tailored for studies that are aligned with the mission and vision of the Center. The efforts of the Energetics of Longevity Core are integrated with those of the other WiNSC Cores and affiliated services and are led by an internationally-recognized leadership team with expertise in aging, metabolism, genetics, and fluxomics, particularly as applied to rodent studies. This Core will enable the expansion of metabolism of aging research, including mechanistic studies that uncover how aging and metabolism intersect. We will work with the RD Core to support innovative Pilot and Idea Award projects as well as fee-for-service use to support investigator-initiated projects relevant to the biology and metabolism of aging.
Abstract Overall The goal of the Wisconsin Nathan Shock Center (WiNSC) is to catalyze research at the interface of aging, metabolism, and translation, building an environment and infrastructure that will have a significant impact locally and nationally. A solid body of literature supports the concept that the pace of aging is malleable and that loss of health in advanced years is not an inevitability. A striking commonality among the set of aging-regulating factors identified to date is their connection to metabolism. The importance of metabolic integrity extends beyond the fundamental biology of aging to the biology of disease, and the most common age-associated diseases and conditions including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disease, all feature metabolic dysfunction. The regulation of metabolism itself is highly complex, but as a discipline, metabolism research offers the advantage of manifesting across timeframes, from acute to chronic, and across scales, from cells to tissues to whole organisms. As such, our theme will have broad appeal and will make a significant impact. To accomplish its goals, WiNSC will conduct a host of research and training activities, creating an environment that facilitates cutting-edge research in the general field of aging biology with a specific focus on the intersection of aging, metabolism, and translation. The ability of WiNSC to achieve its mission is supported by a strong institutional environment and commitment, as well as a leadership team comprised of nationally- and internationally-recognized experts in the specific areas of focus. Our strategic goals are a) to promote, coordinate, and enhance research in the basic biology of aging with a specific emphasis on aging, metabolism, and translation, which will be achieved through the coordinated action of the Administrative Core and the Research Development Core; and b) to efficiently and rapidly advance cutting-edge research at the intersection of aging, metabolism, and translation by developing novel research capabilities and leveraging existing resources, which will be accomplished through the establishment of three Research Cores, the Energetics of Longevity Core, the Discovery and Integration Core, and the Translation and Application Core. The WiNSC is designed to advance research on aging, to devise and test novel hypotheses at the intersection of aging and metabolism, and to promote and advance translation of insights from basic biology of aging studies. Our interdisciplinary team has expertise in the requisite areas of research, our focus on metabolism naturally allows for integration of cellular and tissue level research with systems level endocrinology and physiology, and our centralized infrastructure facilitates the development of emerging areas of investigation and fosters collaborative programs to advance the field, drawing upon deep local expertise and extending capabilities to the wider aging research community. Through its unique focus on metabolism and translation the WiNSC is exceptionally well positioned to advance biology of aging research and contribute significantly to the NSC Network.
