USC-Buck Nathan Shock Center of Excellence

USC-Buck Cores:

Administrative/Program Enrichment Core (APEC)

The Administrative/Program Enrichment Core (APEC) led by Drs. Gordon J. Lithgow and Sean P. Curran aims to integrate the USC-Buck NSC across USC and the Buck Institute for Research on Aging will include more than 61 NIA-supported investigators, six NIA-funded research centers, four NIA T32s, and several additional aging research centers of excellence. The core provides infrastructure support and leadership to the USC-Buck NSC cores, access to essential resources, coordination with other NSCs across the nation, and procurement of matching institutional financial support exceeding $1 million over 5 years.

The Research Development Core (RDC)

The Research Development Core (RDC) led by Drs. Julie K. Andersen and Kelvin Davies will provide training in state-of-the-art methodologies, coordinate Research Sabbaticals in Aging and mentorship opportunities with world-class faculty and educational opportunities. The core will identify pilot project opportunities from a nation-wide search that provides access to all USC-Buck NSC Cores. The goal of this Core is to provide future aging researchers access to the wealth of experience, expertise, and resources at both campuses. These efforts are modeled after our successful joint Biology of Aging PhD program.

The Genomic Translation Across Species Core (GTASC)

The Genomic Translation Across Species Core (GTASC) Core, led by Drs. Eileen Crimmins and Em Arpawong at USC, will overcome a historical barrier of connecting geroscience research in model systems to human health and aging. The core will provide researchers utilizing model-organisms (yeast, worms, flies, fish, and mice) the ability to interrogate a rich resource of human genomic SNP, methylation, and expression data from the NIH Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Analyses of gene-environment and gene-gene interactions and human Phenotype-Wide Association Scans (PheWAS) will provide important results in the context of human aging and facilitate innovative research directions across models.

The Cellular Senescence and Beyond Core (CSBC)

The Cellular Senescence and Beyond Core (CSBC), led by Drs. Judith Campisi and Birgit Schilling at the Buck Institute, will determine how specific cell fates (e.g. senescence, apoptosis, competition) contribute to aging and methods of intervention across models (e.g. cultured cells, organoids, tissue and organ samples, and organisms). The Core will help researchers characterize both cell-autonomous and non-autonomous features of these cell fates, provide established assays, and give advice regarding intervention strategies.

The Geroscience Technology Core (GTC)

The Geroscience Technology Core (GTC), led by Drs. Valter Longo and Simon Melov, will provide vouchers for access to a range of technology platforms and deep expertise in many aspects of aging. This will include access to all existing institutional technology and expertise across various model systems at both institutions. Unique capabilities include studies of air pollution exposure, female reproductive aging, and cutting-edge technologies for single-cell analyses, mitochondria and metabolism, and bioinformatics.

• 
  Eric Verdin, MD  Leadership
  Director, Buck Institute
• 
  Pinchas “Hassy” Cohen, MD  Leadership
  Director, USC
• 
  Gordon Lithgow, PhD  Administrative Core
  Director, Buck Institute
• 
  Sean Curran, PhD  Administrative Core
  Director, USC
• 
  Julie Andersen, PhD  Research Development Core (RDC)
  Core Leader, Buck Institute
• 
  Kelvin Davies, PhD  Research Development Core (RDC)
  Core Leader, USC
• 
  Judy Campisi, PhD  Cellular Senescence and Beyond Core (CSBC)
  Director, Buck Institute
• 
  Birgit Schilling, PhD  Cellular Senescence and Beyond Core (CSBC)
  Director, Buck Institute
• 
  Eileen Crimmins, PhD  Genomic Translation Across Species Core (GTAS)
  Director, USC
• 
  T. Em Arpawong, PhD, MPH  Genomic Translation Across Species Core (GTAS)
  Director, USC
• 
  Simon Melov, PhD  Geroscience Technology Core (GTC)
  Director, Buck Institute
• 
  Valter Longo  Geroscience Technology Core (GTC)
  Director, USC

The USC-Buck Nathan Shock Center is accepting applications for sabbaticals in the basic biology of aging. These sabbaticals are short-term immersion opportunities to learn specific methods or techniques designed to fulfill objectives based on the applicant’s previous knowledge, experience, specific research interests, and/or training goals. These mini-sabbaticals (that can range in length from 2 weeks to an entire semester) should offer a highly collaborative and supportive academic environment, mentorship, opportunities to participate in organized scholarly activities, access to a workspace, and reasonable access to relevant resources.

 Currently, our Nathan Shock Center is accepting applications for sabbaticals during Grant Year 2 within the Cellular Senescence and Beyond Core and the Geroscience Technology Core physically located at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, CA.

Application requirements:

1. Application Face Page https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/fp1.pdf
2. Biosketch (NIH format)
3. Description of goals and objectives, including identification of host/mentor (3 pages maximum) and acknowledgment of application by host/mentor
4. Budget and justification, submitted in NIH format
   Budget Form and Justification
   The budget should be developed in conjunction with the host/mentor and can include line items such as the following: travel to the Buck Institute, lodging, meal expenses, ground transportation, funds to support research (i.e., lab supplies, funds for core recharges, etc.). No salary/stipend will be paid to the awardee.

Prior consultation with host/mentor is required.

Applications due January 15, 2022.  The award(s) will begin February 1, 2022.

Funds must be used by May 31, 2022 at the end of the Grant Year.