Key Accomplishments
Past and Current Projects
Available Resources
Key Personnel
The Genetics, Genomics and Molecular Core of the Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC) provides the infrastructure and expertise in cutting-edge genomic technologies to find and understand the molecular and genetic contributors to frailty and related phenotypes. The Core also provides mentorship and training for investigators interested in the biology and genetics of aging and frailty. A recent primary focus of research in aging at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions (JHMI) has concerned the characterization and description of frailty, with the intent of developing a definition of the phenotype, which will prove useful to both clinicians and researchers. This fundamental research has laid the groundwork, making possible research into the proximate molecular genetic mechanisms leading to frailty. The central goal of this Genetics Core is to provide the infrastructure and expertise in cutting-edge genomic technologies that will facilitate the elucidation of molecular and genetic contributors to frailty and genetics training to investigators interested in aging and frailty research. With this knowledge, training and possibility of uncovering the genetic causes of frailty, new and unique preventive and treatment strategies will follow that will help improve the quality of life of millions of older Americans. Given the complexity of this task, our central goals can best be accomplished by developing collaborative and translational projects between basic and clinical researchers. Such an approach is expected to lead to three main outcomes: - Applying state-of-the-art genetic and genomic methodologies in a variety of large study designs can be expected to reduce heterogeneity by identifying genetic variants contributing to specific physiologic components of frailty.
- Incorporating genetic analyses in the study of frailty can be expected to further refine and improve phenotypic description and characterization of the frailty phenotype. Since many specific physiologic alterations may contribute to frailty, genetic analysis can begin to identify specific important components of frailty arising from distinct causes.
- Building interactions between geneticists, biostatisticians, genetic epidemiologists and geriatricians that will facilitate the development of an interdisciplinary infrastructure that can decipher the ultimate causes of the physiologic changes underlying the frailty syndrome.
We strongly believe that the greatest translational impact on the treatment and prevention of frailty and the loss of independence of millions of older Americans can only be achieved by identifying the specific sub-clinical components, mechanisms and ultimate causes of fraity. | 
