The Buck Institute for Research on Aging- THD Tour and Lecture

THD Activity is hosting a Building Tour and Lecture of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato tomorrow.  I wanted to sign in, but I realized there will be a lot of walking, Moreover, I have already scheduled my regular Bridge Game.  If you follow my blogs you probably know that one of my favorite topics is Aging ( Gracefully and Longevity Research etc...) Thus this posting. 

    

The Buck Institute for Research on Aging is an independent biomedical research institute that researches aging and age-related disease. The mission of the Buck Institute is to extend the healthy years of life. The Buck Institute is one of nine centers for aging research of the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research.

The institute, a nonprofit organization located in Novato, California, began its research program in 1999, making it the world's first institute founded primarily to study intervention into the aging process. It is named for Marin Countyphilanthropists Leonard and Beryl Hamilton Buck, whose estate funded the endowment that helped establish the institute, and the Buck Trust currently contributes approximately $6 million annually to support the institute's work. The campus of the Buck Institute was designed by architect I. M. Pei.

In May 2007, the institute established a cooperative agreement with the University of California's Davis and Merced campuses to coordinate stem-cell research.

The Building As seen from Highway 101. 

Meanwhile, here’s a summary of the latest from the Buck Institute for Research on Aging (as of mid-2025), including recent findings, new tools, and research directions. 

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🔬 Key Recent Research & Findings

1. Neurons burn sugar differently — link to Alzheimer’s & GLP-1 drugs
   A study published in Nature Metabolism found that neurons accumulate too much glycogen (a stored form of glucose) in Alzheimer’s models. The buildup seems to be linked to tau pathology and worsened oxidative stress. Restoring an enzyme (glycogen phosphorylase) to break down that glycogen helps reduce the damage in fruit flies and human-derived neurons. BUCK
   The study suggests this may help explain why GLP-1 drugs (often used for metabolic issues) are showing promise in dementia. BUCK

2. New blood-based epigenetic “clock” focused on intrinsic capacity
   Researchers developed a biological-age clock that doesn’t just estimate how old someone is, but how well they’re aging in terms of function: mobility, cognition, mental health, vision, hearing, nutrition/vitality. This is called the “IC Clock.” BUCK

3. Therapeutic plasma exchange + IVIG reduces biological age
   A clinical trial led by the Buck Institute in Aging Cell showed that replacing a person’s plasma (therapeutic plasma exchange, TPE), and combining it with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), reduced biological age (measured via multi-omics biomarkers) by on average 2.6 years versus about 1.3 years with TPE alone. BUCK+1
   The effect was stronger in people with poorer health markers, like elevated glucose. NAD+1

4. Other topics: reproductive timing, early puberty / childbirth effects
   Another newer Buck Institute study indicates that the timing of puberty and childbirth may accelerate aging and disease risk. BUCK

5. Use of CAR cells (immune therapy technology) to detect Alzheimer’s pathologies
   Buck scientists demonstrated proof-of-concept that chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) immune cells can detect both tau tangles and amyloid plaques, which are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s. This suggests possible new diagnostic or therapeutic strategies. BUCK

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⚙️ Tools & Methods

• Multi-omics biomarkers (epigenome, proteome, metabolome, glycome, immune system) are being used more and more for accurate tracking of aging and biological age. The plasma exchange + IVIG study is an example. BUCK

• Intrinsic Capacity Clock (IC Clock) — new measurement tool that aims to quantify functional aging, not just chronological or molecular/structural aging. BUCK

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🌱 Broader Implications & Trends

• There’s a growing shift from purely molecular biomarkers/disease-based measures to functional/quality of lifemetrics (mobility, cognition, etc.) in aging research. Tools like the IC Clock embody this.

• Clinical interventions targeting systemic biology (like plasma/immune interventions) are showing measurable effects in humans, which is big: moving beyond animal models.

• The connection between metabolism, energy storage/use (glycogen in the brain, etc.), and neurodegeneration is being clarified. Interventions may emerge from this.

• Also notable is an interest in reproductive history and its long-term effects on aging and disease risk.

For Details visit: 

https://proto.life/2022/07/the-buck-institute-where-the-promise-of-aging-research-isnt-longevity/

Lastly, my photo of the Day

Memories of Our Kauai Vacation, 2015