Institute for Geroscience Education & Training

Why do we get old? Is aging a disease or a physiological stage in life? As the percentage of the population over 65 years of age grows, we need to better understand the peculiarities of the aging process. The common goal of aging researchers is to extend the healthy active years of life. Research in the biology of aging is expanding rapidly, benefitting from the advances in many other areas of research, including genetics, cell biology, biochemistry of proteins, systems biology, and more. Furthermore, classical studies of the genetics of longevity in laboratory species are now escalating to humans, offering a better understanding of both physiological aging and age-related diseases.

This course presents an in-depth analysis of the biology of aging, from changes occurring at the molecular and cellular level to analyzing the consequences at the organism level. In addition, we examine the influence of these age-related changes in what are commonly considered age-related diseases, such as neurodegeneration and diabetes. Topics include: theories of aging, experimental models used to study aging and longevity, impact of oxidative stress in cell and organ function, the metabolic syndrome of aging, functional changes in the immune, musculoskeletal and central nervous systems, genetic instability and genetics of aging and longevity.

The goal of this course is to motivate interest in problems in the biology of aging and to prepare our students for the growing demand for future generations of aging researchers.

Every class will be taught by faculty experts working on the topic in question. An external expert will be brought every year to cover aspects of biology of aging that are not currently part of the expertise of our faculty. Two journal-club format classes will evaluate research papers in two different areas of research every year. Grading will be based upon a combination of participation in class discussions and a final exam.

All graduate students and M.D./Ph.D. students may enroll.

The T32 training grant, titled “Training in Aging Research,” continues to successfully train the next generation of scientists in aging research at Einstein. This success is based on the quality of candidates, their scientific and academic achievements, the percentage of trainees who have stayed in research, including many progressing to leadership roles. Within our highly collaborative environment lies a strong emphasis on translational research from a highly qualified group of mentors who are well-funded and who have access to a strong pool of trainees. We continue the Biology of Aging class that was developed specifically for this grant, while adding new, qualified mentors with activities to enrich the training experience.