Muscle, Mobility, and Aging (SOMMA2)
Official title: Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging: SOMMA2
Funded at California Pacific Med Ctr Res Institute · NIH-11195674 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for biological changes in muscle and blood that predict loss of strength, trouble with daily activities, dementia, or early death in older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | California Pacific Med Ctr Res Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | June 15, 2018 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $14,954,746 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG059416-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11195674 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are older adults who can travel to San Francisco, undergo blood draws and repeat muscle biopsies, and participate in physical and cognitive testing.
✕Less likely to help
People who cannot have muscle biopsies, already have advanced disability, or cannot attend repeated clinic visits are less likely to benefit or be eligible.
What this research studies
You would join a long-term effort that adds 650 older adults to a group already studied for muscle and mobility changes. Participants give blood, have muscle biopsies repeated over time, and complete tests of strength, fitness, and thinking. Researchers will study muscle energy production, DNA damage, oxidative stress, cell aging signals, and gene activity to see which changes match declines in power, fitness, or daily function. The goal is to find body-level signs that happen before disability, dementia, or death so future tests or treatments can target those pathways.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help predict who is at higher risk for mobility loss or dementia and point to new treatments to keep older adults healthier and more independent.
How similar studies have gone: An earlier phase (SOMMA1) already linked muscle mitochondrial function to mobility decline, and SOMMA2 expands that work to more people and more biological pathways.
Where this research is happening
-
California Pacific Med Ctr Res Institute
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cummings, Steven Ron — California Pacific Med Ctr Res Institute
- Study coordinator: Cummings, Steven Ron
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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.