Unique transatlantic research partnership aims at longer healthier lives
Research efforts to help the world’s ageing population live longer healthier lives have been given a major boost with the announcement of six new transatlantic research projects aiming to understanding the biology of the ageing process.
In the first agreement of its kind, the US funding agency for ageing research, the National
Institute on Aging (NIA) and the UK’s funding body for bioscience research, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) are jointly funding £4M of projects. Each project includes leading researchers from universities from both the UK and US.
The transatlantic research teams will study the biology that drives how our bodies change with age. Their aim is to generate knowledge about the biology behind ageing that will ultimately contribute to a better quality of life and health for the growing older population.
Amongst the research being funded is a joint project between Bangor University and the University of Texas Health Science Centre, San Antonio. Scientists from these two institutes are studying the world’s longest-lived animal, the ocean quahog, to investigate what factors affect longevity and how they might lead to such a wide variation in lifespan.
Professor Chris Richardson and Dr Iain Ridgway (post doctoral scientist) from the School of Ocean Sciences explain:
"We are looking at an extraordinarily long-lived shellfish, the ocean quahog, as a model of longevity, and evaluating three plausible mechanisms of ageing that may determine lifespan in shorter-lived species. Along with clams, scallops and oysters, the ocean quahog belongs to a group of animals called bivalve molluscs, which range in longevity from less than one year to, in the case of the quahog, up to400 years. By comparing different bivalve species of different longevities, we hope that one or more of the three current mechanisms of ageing will explain the huge range of longevity in bivalves. Because the symptoms of ageing in molluscs for example, muscle loss, are similar to that in humans, this work will give insight into human ageing processes."
Professor Douglas Kell, BBSRC Chief Executive said: “We are seeing increased life expectancy in the developed world and a growing older population as a consequence. Living a long life is one thing, but living a healthy, active and enjoyable life into old age is quite another.
“To appreciate what older people need in order to remain healthy and active we must understand as much as we can about what is going on in an ageing body. With this knowledge, our clinical colleagues can develop healthcare and disease prevention strategies that will see older people on both sides of the Atlantic, and beyond, living fulfilled and happy lives. By working together, BBSRC and NIA have been able to capitalise on the world class research in both countries and leverage the funding available to our scientists.”
NIA Director Richard J. Hodes, M.D. said: “We are excited to expand our scientific pursuits through this unique opportunity to work with our colleagues overseas. Research aimed at better understanding the nature of aging should help us find ways to extend the healthy, active years of life.”
By combining researchers from the UK and US the projects bring together the best science from both sides of the Atlantic and capitalise on the different skill sets and assets each country has.
Professor Kell continued: “We are really delighted to see these valuable international collaborations arise out of the joint sponsorship programme we set up with NIA. Science has become a truly global effort these days, and we are very happy to support researchers who are coming together to maximise effort and take full advantage of each other’s strengths.”