SEARCHING FOR KEYS TO HEALTHY AGING
From left: Anne Newman, Toren Finkel
University of Pittsburgh researchers Anne Newman and Toren Finkel want us all to live long and prosper.
“Most people will have a period of poor health at the end of their lives no matter how long they live,” says Newman, Distinguished Professor of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, and clinical director of the joint Pitt-UPMC Aging Institute. “But the goal of what we call ‘healthspan’ is to optimize health for as long as possible.”
Newman is principal investigator of a WoodNext Foundation-funded clinical trial to determine whether treatment to reduce inflammation can improve physical function in older adults.
“Aging is one of the least understood biological processes,” adds Finkel, director of the Aging Institute. “It’s something—if we’re lucky—we all do, yet we don’t understand why or how.” Finkel and Newman are longtime colleagues and collaborators whose aging research focuses on the intersection of biological systems and populations.
Newman’s study targets persistent low-level immune system activity, which increases as we get older for reasons that are unclear. The RIGHT Study (Reducing Inflammation for Greater Health Trial) is a randomized trial using an anti-inflammatory monoclonal antibody, clazakizumab.
The goal is to see whether it is possible to block abnormal immune activation without affecting people’s ability to fight off infections or disease. Measurements of physical function like walking speed will be taken, as well as cognitive tests to determine baseline and potential improvements at the conclusion of the study period.
“At the Aging Institute, we’re also trying to develop new drugs to block inflammation,” adds Finkel, professor of medicine, School of Medicine. “If we find people do better with these very targeted biological therapies, we could potentially use this strategy for older adults who are beginning to become frail, and potentially prevent many of the diseases of aging from ever occurring.”
Newman and Finkel are heading up an American Heart Association-funded study of the role of inflammation and genetics common to brain and vascular health.
“Aging impacts everything, but much of aging research has focused on disease and illness,” says Newman. “The focus of my work has been to try to understand health by doing studies in people who are out and about living their lives as they age.”