Grantee in the News: David Morgan on new Dementia Findings

On August 26th, Health Day featured a response by 1987 AFAR Research Grant Recipient and leading Alzheimer’s disease expert, David Morgan, PhD, on new research findings by the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center. As long long suspected among researchers, the Rush study found that older adults start to lose awareness of their memory lose two to three years before the onset of dementia. Morgan notes: "If you don't think you have a problem, you're unlikely to seek help. So, it's important for relatives to be sensitive to signs of dementia."   David Morgan, PhD, is…

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AFAR in the News: Tech Times on Promising TAME Trial

On August 26, 2015, Tech Times spotlighted AFAR’s role in facilitating the planning process for the Taming Aging with Metformin (TAME) trial.  The article also included insights from the trial’s lead investigator and AFAR Deputy Scientific Director, Nir Barzilai, MD; Board Member James Kirkland, MD, PhD; and grantee Brian Kennedy, PhD. This feature discussed both the clinical design and the projected goals of the TAME trial.  As Dr. Barzilai stated, “The number one purpose is the idea that we have a drug that we can use in humans that can delay or prevent…

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Grantee in the News: Three-Time Grantee Randall Bateman on Aging and Alzheimer’s Risk

On August 20th, US News and World Report featured insights from Randall Bateman, MD, on why aging is the number one risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Bateman is a two-time AFAR grantee and 2015 recipient of the AFAR-administered MetLife Foundation Award for Medical Research.  Dr. Bateman and his team have found that as people age, the brain becomes less capable of flushing away the toxic waste product, beta-amyloid.  Over time, amyloid plaques from in the spaces between neurons leading to Alzheimer’s related systems.  This research helps to explain why, after the age…

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Grantee in the News: David Sinclair Interview on the Promise of Healthspan Enhancing Treatments

On August 17, 2015, The Washington Post featured an exclusive interview with 2000 AFAR Research Grant Recipient and one of Time Magazine’s 2014 100 Most Influential People, Dr. David Sinclair. Dr. Sinclair shared insight into his research on resveratrol, a compound he believes may be able to increase years of health later in life by delaying the onset of age related disease.  He also explained how he, along with other industry leaders, are working with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to get aging defined as a condition worthy of treatment. David A. Sinclair, PhD, serves as a Professor of Genetics…

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Grantee in the News: Mary Whooley Releases New Research on Heart Protecting Protein

On August 20th, the European Heart Journal published new research co-authored by 1998 AFAR Research Grant Recipient and 2001 Beeson Scholar, Mary Whooley, MD, which found that high levels of two related proteins may lower the risks of heart related complications. Dr. Whooley’s team found that among individuals with heart disease, those with high percentages of the GDF11 proteins were fifty percent less likely to suffer heart failures, heart attacks, or strokes, compared to individuals with the lowest percentages of the proteins. The GDF11 protein, which first rose to prominence with the discovery that these proteins reverse signs of…

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Arthritis and Aging Research Grantee Mara McAdams-Demarco Discusses Research in New Video

On August 5th, the Arthritis National Research Foundation, ANRF, shared a video interview with Dr. Mara McAdams-Demarco, the first ever grant recipient of the ANRF-AFAR Arthritis and Aging Research Grant. Dr. McAdams-Demarco’s research is dedicated to understanding the causes and consequences of Gout, a form of Arthritis shown to disproportionally effect older adults. View the video here:  Mara McAdams-Demarco, PhD is an Assistant Professor at John Hopkins University. AFAR’s grant programs and awards have supported research examining the impact of aging on the development and progression of diseases.  Learn more about how AFAR…

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Grantee in the News: Meera Sheffrin finds Popular Dementia Drug May Lead to Unsafe Weight Loss

In its August 2015 issue, the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society featured new research from 2013 and 2014 Centers of Excellence Fellow Meera Sheffrin, MD. The research examines how the commonly prescribed dementia treatment cholinesterase may cause unwanted and unsafe weight loss in older adults. By examining VA medical records, Dr. Sheffrin’s team found that users of cholinesterase had a one in 21 chance of experiencing unintended weight loss of at least ten pounds.  Unintentional weight loss in older adults can be dangerous as it is associated with adverse outcomes including increased rates of institutionalizations and mortality, a…

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