Mission
The mission of our Pepper Center is
- to assess the risk factors of physical disability in older adults,
- to develop and test effective prevention therapies, and
- to educate and train new investigators in research on aging and disability, while developing their leadership qualities and roles.
Strategy
Our overall strategy is to attract studies and investigators from diverse behavioral, clinical and basic science disciplines towards research on aging focused on a common theme. This, in turn, will allow us to accomplish our mission. Our research theme is "Integrating pathways affecting physical function for new approaches to disability prevention." This integration has important implications for geriatrics because it provides the basis for exploring novel preventive interventions. Progress will be fostered by refining a disability model which integrates muscle, fat, cognitive-behavioral factors, and common comorbidities, and is supported by translational and mechanistic approaches. We will examine the entire spectrum of biomedical investigation, including molecular biology, in vitro and animal studies, clinical research, behavioral and social sciences, and epidemiology.
Objectives
Research
To assess the factors that contribute to age-related changes in adiposity and adipose tissue distribution and their impact muscle mass, composition, and function to affect the progression towards physical disability.
To develop and test novel pharmacological and behavioral interventions (e.g. exercise and weight loss) that reduce total or regional adiposity and thereby affect muscle function to prevent age-related decline in physical function and progression to disability in older persons.
Educational
To educate and train new investigators in multidisciplinary, translational research on aging and disability in older adults emphasizing the development of skills for performing and integrating findings from basic, clinical and population-based research.
To develop leadership qualities and progression toward independence in junior investigators.
Operational
To provide the investigators, infrastructure, environment, and services necessary to support the accomplishment of the above-mentioned research and educational objectives.
