Principal Investigators

Gary Churchill Ph.D. 

As the Director of the Data & Statistical Core for the Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in Basic Biology of Aging, my aim is to provide data analysis support for ongoing studies within the Shock Center inlcuding the development of new analysis methods and sofware necessary to support aging research, dissemination of data and providing experimental dsign and support to collaborators.  My lab employs a combination of strategies to investigate the genetic basis of complex traits associated with aging. We are developing new methods and software that will improve the power of quantitative trait loci mapping and microarray analysis, as well as graphical models that aim to intuitively and precisely characterize the genetic architecture of age related disease.

Catherine Kaczorowski, Ph.D.

My research focus is to identify early causative events that underlie cognitive deficits associated with ‘normal’ aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Using multidisciplinary approaches that combine systems genetics with innovative high resolution and high throughput membrane proteomics, viral-based gene transduction approaches, behavioral assays, in vitro brain slice electrophysiology and in vivo electrophysiological recordings in freely behaving mice, my research seeks to identify and understand how genetic factors and misregulated membrane proteins in the hippocampus of aging and AD mouse models alter hippocampal neuron excitability, functional connectivity of hippocampal neural networks, and memory.

Ron Korstanje Ph.D.

My goal is to identify key genetic factors that contribute to the decline of function and damage in the aging kidney, to learn their role in the kidney, and to understand why variations of these factors lead to different outcomes. We do this by studying the natural genetic variation in mice and their association with different kidney phenotypes. Once causal genes are identified, we develop precision disease models for further study of the gene and to develop therapeutics that will slow down the decline of kidney function and development of disease.

 

Luanne Peters, Ph.D.

As the Director of the Animal and Phenotyping Core of the Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging, my aim is to develop unique animal resources to support aging research. We have established robust phenotyping for Diversity Outbred (DO) and Collaborative Cross (CC) cohorts. My team has collected healthspan phenotypes including body weight, bladder function, grip strength, complete blood counts, circulating immunce cell subsets, body composition and bone density, kidney funtion, bladder funtion, and behavioral traits at 6, 12 and 18 months of age. A major goal of our Center is to provide access to aged mice for phenotyping and plasma/tissue samples to the scientific community.