Women live longer than men in nearly every country in the world, yet they experience higher rates of disability, dementia and many other age-related conditions. Scientists have long noted these differences, but they still do not fully understand why they occur \u2014 or how that knowledge can be used to improve healthy aging. Understanding these differences could lead to more effective ways to prevent disease, maintain independence and extend healthy life for everyone.<\/p>\n
A new $7.5 million, five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health will establish the USC Geroscience Specialized Center of Research Excellence on Sex Differences in Aging (GeroSCORE)<\/strong> to address that challenge.<\/p>\n The award establishes USC\u2019s first NIH Specialized Center of Research Excellence (SCORE)<\/a> and positions the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology<\/a> as a national leader in advancing research on sex differences in aging.<\/p>\n Funded by the National Institute on Aging<\/a> in partnership with the NIH Office of Research on Women\u2019s Health<\/a>, GeroSCORE brings together experts in aging biology, neuroscience, psychology, epidemiology, demography, sociology and data science to understand how biological sex interacts with genetics, hormones, behavior, and social and physical environments to shape aging<\/strong> across the lifespan.<\/p>\n \u201cThis center represents exactly the kind of bold, interdisciplinary science needed to address the most important challenges in aging,\u201d said Pinchas Cohen<\/a>, dean of the USC Leonard Davis School. \u201cFor decades, USC has helped shape the field of geroscience. GeroSCORE builds on that foundation by bringing together outstanding scientists to answer fundamental questions about aging while creating new opportunities for collaboration, innovation and scientific leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n Although research on sex differences has expanded rapidly in recent years, progress has been slowed by fragmented approaches and a lack of common methods and resources across disciplines.<\/strong><\/p>\n GeroSCORE was created to help change that.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know that women and men age differently<\/a>; the challenge is understanding why,\u201d said Professor Jennifer Ailshire<\/a>, UPS Foundation Chair at USC Leonard Davis and one of the center\u2019s directors. \u201cBy bringing together expertise that has traditionally been separated, GeroSCORE will help uncover how biology, environment and life experiences combine to shape aging.\u201d<\/p>\n The center will conduct innovative research while also developing new tools, analytical methods and scientific resources that can be shared broadly. It will support pilot projects, train early-career investigators, convene national and international experts, and collaborate across the NIH SCORE network to accelerate discovery.<\/p>\n \u201cThe next generation of breakthroughs will come from connecting ideas across disciplines and creating better tools for researchers,\u201d said Teal Eich, associate professor of gerontology and co-director of the center. \u201cOur goal is not only to answer important scientific questions but also to build the frameworks that allow the entire field to move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n The center\u2019s research spans the full spectrum of aging science, from laboratory models to human participants to large population studies:<\/p>\n Together, these projects seek to identify the biological and environmental pathways that drive sex differences in aging and reveal new opportunities for prevention and intervention.<\/p>\nBuilding the future of aging research<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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A national resource for discovery<\/strong><\/h2>\n