Irina Timofte, MD | University of Texas Southwestern
Competition Sponsor: US National Academy of Medicine
Award year: 2021
Recently there is a growing interest in developing effective interventions to slow the aging process and reduce the risk of chronic disease. Drugs that inhibit the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR inhibitors) such as sirolimus are promising modulators of the aging process by delaying the mechanisms of ageing at the cellular level. Changes in mTOR signaling are closely associated with inflammation, and cell growth and survival. Therefore, there is a growing appreciation of the potential impact of Sirolimus in slowing aging process and prolonging healthy lifespan. The proposed work has the potential to identify a new and critical therapeutic intervention in geriatric medicine to decrease progression of aging-related disorders and improve long term outcomes. Our hypothesis is that sirolimus is one of the first pharmacological agents that impact the aging process and chronic disease development of aging associated chronic disease We propose the following specific aims: SA1: To determine whether sirolimus will improve phenotypic/functional markers of aging as measured by walking speed, chair stand, standing balance, grip strength, body mass index, waist circumference muscle mass at 1 year follow-up when compared to elderly patients not receiving sirolimus. SA2: To determine if sirolimus will impact circulating biomarkers (ESR,CRP, Hb) of aging.