The Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies is a basic and clinical research institute located on the Texas Research Park Campus of the
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA, pronounced "U-tesk-uh"), doing business as UT Health San Antonio, is a public academic health science center in San Antonio, Texas. It is part of the University of Texas Sys ...
(UTHSCSA). It is a leading institute in the United States in
geriatrics
Geriatrics, or geriatric medicine, is a medical specialty focused on addressing the unique health needs of older adults. The term ''geriatrics'' originates from the Greek γέρων ''geron'' meaning "old man", and ιατρός ''iatros'' mean ...
research. The Barshop Institute ranks #1 in
National Institute on Aging
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), located in Bethesda, Maryland. The NIA itself is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland.
The NIA leads a broad scientific effort to understand ...
funding among
Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
institutions and is highly ranked in the country in
National Institute of Health
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It was founded in 1887 and is part of the United States Department of Health and Human Servic ...
funding. The scientific director of the institute has been Elena Volpi, M.D., PhD, FGSA since July 2023. In 2009, one of the research projects of the institute was announced by ''Science'' magazine as one of the top scientific discoveries of the year.
Research
More than 160 faculty members at the University of Texas Health Science Center at
San Antonio
San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...
are actively involved in biomedical and clinical research and educational activities that range from the molecular genetics of aging to issues of health care for the elderly population. Faculty members of the Barshop Institute are internationally known for their research into disease processes associated with aging, such as
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...
,
cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...
,
diabetes
Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...
,
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...
, and
cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is any disease involving the heart or blood vessels. CVDs constitute a class of diseases that includes: coronary artery diseases (e.g. angina, heart attack), heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, rheumati ...
. Faculty members have made major scientific inquiries into the molecular regulation of aging and age-related diseases, development of anti-aging interventions, and health care issues of the elderly.
References
External links
Official linkSan Antonio Nathan Shock Center
{{authority control
Gerontology organizations
Biological research institutes in the United States
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio