JCVI Receives $1.25M For Healthy Aging Study

Aug 28 2013

The J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) received a $1.25 million donation from the Ruggles Family Foundation and Mr. and Mrs. Rudy L. Ruggles, Jr. to identify and study biomarkers associated with healthy aging. JCVI will collaborate with the Western Connecticut Health Network (WCHN) as part of the four year grant.

Led by a team of scientists and clinicians from JCVI and WCHN, the study will focus on two groups of elderly participants-;one consisting of healthy individuals and the other of those diagnosed with health conditions-;aged 65 to 85 years, by correlating genetics with human genomic, gut microbiome, and other omics profiles and integrating the data with the individuals' health record.

The team will then compare the microbiome and molecular profiles of the healthy aging group with those of the non-healthy aging group to identify biomarker candidates. Investigators hope the data can be used to develop cost-effective, clinically relevant tests.

This article was reprinted from Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN) with permission from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN) has retained its position as the number one biotech publisher around the globe since its launch in 1981. GEN publishes a print edition 21 times a year and has additional exclusive editorial content online, like news and analysis as well as blogs, podcasts, webinars, polls, videos, and application notes. GEN's unique news and technology focus includes the entire bioproduct life cycle from early-stage R&D, to applied research including omics, biomarkers, as well as diagnostics, to bioprocessing and commercialization.