Aging and Hormone Signals: How FSH Glycoforms Change with Age
Official title: The Aging Pituitary/Gonadal Axis
Funded at Wichita State University · NIH-11401765 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large NIH project is exploring how different forms of a hormone called FSH change as people age and what that means for aging and fertility.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wichita State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Wichita, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2009 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $2,146,742 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AG029531-14 |
| Project ID | NIH-11401765 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals facing age-related fertility changes or clinicians seeking improved understanding of FSH biology to inform treatments.
✕Less likely to help
People without interest in fertility aging research or those not connected to reproductive health studies may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This program builds on discoveries about partially glycosylated FSH forms and uses mouse models and advanced genetic tools to study each glycoform separately. Researchers will inject purified glycoforms into mice and use transgenic lines to observe how these forms affect signaling, cell behavior, and reproductive biology over time. They will also apply single-cell RNA sequencing to map how gonadotrope cells and related pathways respond, aiming to connect biochemical changes with aging-related fertility decline.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Insights could lead to new ways to support fertility and overall reproductive health as people age.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that different FSH glycoforms can have distinct activities, supporting further exploration of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Wichita State University
Wichita, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bousfield, George R — Wichita State University
- Study coordinator: Bousfield, George R
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.