How aging affects muscle function and performance
Official title: Protein modification and the aging phenotype of human skeletal muscle
Funded at University of Oregon · NIH-10792945 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how aging affects muscle strength and function, especially why older adults lose muscle mass and power, to help find ways to keep muscles healthy as we get older.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Oregon NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Eugene, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2023 |
| Project end | February 28, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $219,847 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AG077125-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10792945 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults aged 21 and above who are experiencing age-related muscle decline or sarcopenia.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are younger than 21 or those without any signs of muscle decline or related conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the changes in muscle function and performance as people age, focusing on the mechanisms behind muscle atrophy and the decline in contractile power. It aims to understand how these changes contribute to sarcopenia, a condition characterized by the loss of muscle mass and strength in older adults. By examining the relationship between muscle size, contractile function, and fatigue during physical activities, the study seeks to identify unique factors that influence muscle aging. The findings could lead to better strategies for maintaining muscle health in older adults.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved interventions for preventing muscle loss and enhancing physical function in older adults.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding muscle aging and its effects on physical function, indicating that this approach has potential for significant insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Oregon
Eugene, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Callahan, Damien Mark — University of Oregon
- Study coordinator: Callahan, Damien Mark
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Aging Well with HIV: Alcohol, Risk Reduction, and Education Center (AWAR3E)
A center at Yale is exploring how aging with HIV interacts with alcohol use to create inflammation and frailty, with the goal of finding biomarkers and potential treatments.
-
Cognitive SuperAging: Exploring why some octogenarians stay sharp in memory
This NIH grant studies why a small group of people aged 80+ keep memory skills as good as much younger people, hoping to understand how to protect memory as we age.
-
Biological aging across the lifespan through a national high school-to-adult study
This grant uses a long-running national study of students and adults to collect saliva biomarkers of aging, alongside surveys, to understand how aging markers relate to health and life experiences.
-
Understanding how aging and Alzheimer’s affect how people make tough choices
This NIH grant studies how aging and Alzheimer’s risk change how people decide between immediate and delayed rewards and risky options, with the goal of helping older adults stay financially and healthwise safer.
-
Understanding how brain resilience and multiple brain pathologies influence aging and Alzheimer's disease
A long-term study follows older adults to learn how resilience to brain changes helps reduce dementia risk and what biological factors are linked to better cognitive aging.
-
National Neighborhood Data Archive helps researchers study aging health in U.S. neighborhoods
A nationwide data resource will help researchers understand how where people live affects health and aging, with a focus on respiratory illnesses in older adults.
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.