Optimizing autophagy to counteract aging muscle loss in mice
Official title: Optimizing autophagy to counteract aging-induced muscle deterioration in mice
Funded at Rowan University · NIH-11374773 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to boost a cellular cleanup process to help aging muscles stay strong when combined with exercise, using a mouse model.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rowan University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Glassboro, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $193,750 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM159126-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11374773 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults with age-related muscle loss who could participate in future translation or clinical studies.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals without aging-related muscle deterioration may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests whether activating autophagy with Tat-Beclin1 can enhance the muscle-strength benefits of endurance exercise in aging mice. It will investigate how the autophagy regulator GAPR-1 affects sarcopenia and whether combining an autophagy-promoting agent with exercise slows or reverses muscle loss. The study will use aging mice to examine muscle mass, function, and cellular markers related to autophagy and protein quality control. If successful, findings could point toward new ways to support muscle health in older adults.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could improve muscle strength and function in aging populations when paired with exercise.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows autophagy modulation can influence muscle health in aging models, but combining autophagy activation with exercise is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Rowan University
Glassboro, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dos Santos Silva, Kleiton a — Rowan University
- Study coordinator: Dos Santos Silva, Kleiton a
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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.