The Future of Aging

Neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases result from a progressive deterioration of functioning in the central nervous system. They can affect the brain, spinal cord or nerves. Examples of neurodegenerative diseases include Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease). Although each of these diseases involves different types of cells within the central nervous system, there are striking similarities in the way the diseases progress. One feature they share is that they usually show up late in life.

Research on neurodegenerative diseases has reached a critical crossroad. Scientists have identified the genetic mutations that cause or contribute to many of the major neurodegenerative disorders, and rapid advances are being made in understanding how these genes function.

Beeson Scholars researching Neurodegenerative diseases

Cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular disease is the general term that includes all diseases of the heart and surrounding blood vessels and arteries. Some of the most common heart diseases and conditions are coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and rheumatic heart disease.

Beeson Scholars researching Cardiovascular diseases

Late-onset diseases

Beeson Scholars researching Late-onset diseases

Degenerative diseases

Andrew Lieberman, MD, PhD, University of Michigan: "Modifiers of Polyglutamine Toxicity"

Beeson Scholars researching Degenerative diseases

Diseases

Lee Goldstein, MD, PhD, Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women's Hospital: "Alzheiimer's Disease Beta-Amyloid in the Lens"

Beeson Scholars researching Diseases

Natural History Of Symptoms At The End Of Life
Jean S. Kutner, University of Colorado Denver (2000 Scholar)

Augmented Age-Associated Innate Immune Responses Contribute To Negative Inotropic And Lusitropic Effects Of Lipopolysaccharide And gInterferon.
Joshua M. Hare, Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami (2000 Scholar)

Restoration Of Senescent Cardiac Angiogenic Activity
Jay M. Edelberg, Bristol-Myers Squibb & Co. (2001 Scholar)

Liver Regeneration And The mTOR Signaling Pathway
Makau P. Lee, Jackson Medical Clinic (1996 Scholar)

Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases Regulate Neurotrophin Function.
Frank M. Longo, Stanford University School of Medicine (1995 Scholar)

Increasing Cardiac Rehabilitation Enrollment Following Bypass Surgery
Eric D. Peterson, Duke University Medical Center (1998 Scholar)

Development of Therapies for Polyglutamine Neurodegeneration and Related Disorders
Albert R. La Spada, University of California, San Diego (2002 Scholar)

White Matter Change and CNS Process in the Elderly
Lisa C. Silbert, Oregon Health & Science University (2004 Scholar)

Modifiers of Polyglutamine Toxicity
Andrew P. Lieberman, University of Michigan Medical School (2004 Scholar)

The Impact of Comorbidity on Older Cancer Patients
Cary P. Gross, Yale University School of Medicine (2004 Scholar)

Mitochondria Control by PCG-1a in Young and Aging Heart
John J. Lehman, Washington University School of Medicine (2004 Scholar)

Genomic and Genetic Analysis of Parkinson's Disease
Clemens R. Scherzer, Harvard Medical School (2004 Scholar)

Alzheiimer's Disease Beta-Amyloid in the Lens
Lee E. Goldstein, Boston University School of Medicine (2004 Scholar)

Growth Hormone, Angiotensin II, and Cardiac Aging
Leanne Groban, Wake Forest University School of Medicine (2005 Scholar)

Centenarian Offspring and Vascular Disease Resistance
Dellara F. Terry, Boston University School of Medicine (2005 Scholar)

Dopamine, Tyrosine, and their Metabolites in Aging in Neurodegenerative Disease
Alfred L. Fisher, University of Pittsburgh (2006 Scholar)

Comorbidity and Functional Outcomes in Older Patients with Heart Failure
Sarwat Chaudhry, Yale University School of Medicine (2008 Scholar)

Hypoxia-inducible Transcription Factor 1 (HIF-1) in Vascular Aging
Farzaneh A. Sorond, Harvard Medical School (2008 Scholar)

Acute Phase Serum Amyloid-A (A-SAA) in Ageing, Arthritis and Obesity - Potential Common Mechanism for Cardiovascular Disease
Ronan R. Mullan, University College Dublin (2009 Scholar)

Collagen VI: Novel Mechanisms and Functions in Alzheimer's Disease
Dena Bou Dubal, University of California, San Francisco (2009 Scholar)