Maps of cellular aging across bone marrow, breast, colon, and liver

WU-SN-TMC Biospecimen Core

['FUNDING_OTHER'] · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · NIH-11176101

This project will collect tissue samples from people of many ages to build detailed maps showing how cells age in bone marrow, breast, colon, and liver.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_OTHER']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorWASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (SAINT LOUIS, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11176101 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

You could be asked to give a tissue sample or donate leftover tissue from a surgery so researchers can build detailed maps of aging cells using genomics and imaging. Washington University plans to collect about 500 human samples across four tissues and from people of different ages, and will sometimes collect multiple tissues from the same person. The program will use multi-omics (molecular) and high-resolution imaging methods to catalog different senescent cell types and states across tissues and lifespan. The biospecimen core runs specific collection protocols, including healthy donor bone marrow and tissues from cosmetic breast surgery, to organize safe sample collection and processing.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates include healthy volunteers across different ages, people able to donate bone marrow or other tissues, and patients undergoing cosmetic breast surgery who agree to provide tissue.

Not a fit: People who cannot provide tissue samples, those with active serious illness who are ineligible for donation, or anyone seeking immediate medical treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participating.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, these maps could help scientists develop better tests and treatments that target harmful aged (senescent) cells to prevent or treat age-related conditions and some cancers.

How similar studies have performed: Single-tissue cell atlases and some senescence-focused studies exist, but a large multi-tissue, multi-omics atlas of human cellular senescence at this scale is relatively novel.

Where this research is happening

SAINT LOUIS, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Cancers

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.