Research Network on Animal Models to Understand Social Dimensions of Aging
Summary
Social adversity is strongly associated with susceptibility to diseases of aging, as well as with lifespan itself. These patterns are also observable in other social mammals, suggesting that animal models can be strategically leveraged to understand how social environments influence aging in humans. This proposal supports a Research Network for integrating animal models into studies of social aging, with the goal of mentoring and recruiting new investigators, building visibility across disciplines, and ultimately producing a self- sustaining research community that helps improve human health and well-being during aging.