U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PHS 2003-2
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH)
SBIR and STTR GRANT TOPIC(s)
NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING (NIA)

For additional information about areas of interest to the NIA, please visit our home page at http://www.nia.nih.gov.

Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology

The Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology Program supports research on prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of clinical problems that occur predominantly among older persons or that are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in older people; investigations of clinical problems associated with nursing homes and other sites of long-term care for frail older persons. Areas of interest include but are not limited to:

1. Research on better ways to prevent injuries and deaths associated with the use of currently available bed rails in older patients; this will include improved designs of bed systems for use in the home, nursing home and hospital.
2. Development of registries and databases on long-lived healthy pairs of relatives or members of families, suitable for use in genetic epidemiologic studies of aging.
   
   
3. Development of vaccines and other agents for preventing and treating infections in older persons, including development of new vaccines or preventive interventions, and new methods using currently available vaccines or preventive medications.
   
   
4. Techniques for preventing or treating urinary incontinence.

   Dr. Stanley Slater
   , Fax:
   Email:

5. Refinements in techniques for the measurement of age-related changes in hormone levels, status or pharmacokinetics (e.g., those of growth hormone, IGF-1 and its binding proteins; estrogen, progesterone, testosterone; other markers of ovarian, testicular, hypothalamic and pituitary function). The objective is to enhance sensitivity and achieve greater economy in the assay cost.
   
   
6. Effects of menopause on woman's aging and subsequent health. Effects of age-related changes in endocrine status in men on subsequent aging, morbidity and mortality.
   
   
   1. Refinements in techniques for the measurement of age-related changes in hormone levels or pharmacokinetics (e.g., those of growth hormone, IGF-1 and its binding proteins; estrogen, progesterone, testosterone; other markers of ovarian, testicular, hypothalamic and pituitary function).
   2. Development and testing of alternative strategies (to conventional estrogen/ progestin therapy) for the management of short-term menopausal symptoms and for the reduction in risks of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and other menopause-related conditions, disorders and diseases. Development and testing of new tissue-specific modulators of estrogen/ androgen receptor activity in men and in women for the prevention or treatment of age-related diseases.
   3. Development, testing and validation of new surrogate measures of clinically relevant outcomes and endpoints (e.g., fractures) for (1) more immediate and accurate assessment of the risk or progression of age-related diseases (e.g., osteoporosis) or (2) to predict or monitor efficacy of treatment or enhanced risk or progression of adverse effects/events.
   4. Determine drug interactions, i.e., potential alterations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic properties of drugs taken concomitantly with postmenopausal hormones.
   
   
   
7. Osteoporosis. Development, testing and validation of new surrogate measures of clinically relevant outcomes and endpoints (e.g., fractures) for (1) more immediate and accurate assessment of the risk or progression of age-related diseases (e.g., osteoporosis) or (2) to predict or monitor efficacy, response to treatment or enhanced risk or progression of adverse effects/events.

   Dr. Sherry Sherman
   , Fax:
   Email:

8. Improved instrumentation (e.g., accelerometers) for assessment of physical activity, and improved monitors for visually and/or biomechanically characterizing falls in older patients.
   
   
9. Improved instrumentation and imaging techniques for measuring body composition and properties such as muscle function in older persons.
   
   
10. Development and validation of non-invasive methods of examining bone quality (density, architecture, and strength of bone).
    
    
11. Development of techniques/devices (e.g., non-invasive, portable) for improved monitoring of caloric intake and/or energy expenditure in epidemiological studies.
    
    
12. Measurement of deficits in muscle strength and balance among older persons.
    
    
    1. Instrumentation for biomechanical assessment of ambulation and falls.
    2. Quantitative methods of assessing postural perturbations relevant to activities of daily living.
    
    
    

    Dr. Chhanda Dutta
    , Fax:
    Email:

13. Techniques and methods for screening, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer in older persons.
    
    
    1. Development of geriatric assessment instruments and/or methodology to assist oncologists in patient evaluation and diagnostic work-up to determine the older patient's overall physical and physiologic health status.
    2. Techniques to promote effective pain management in older-aged cancer patients. This includes documentation and assessment of pain intensity and its characteristics prior to and after pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions.
    3. Development of innovative teaching tools for physicians, nurses, and other health professionals in the following areas: (1) to convey benefits of screening and early detection of cancer for use with older-aged persons; (2) to assist in teaching older-aged patients in self-examination for early warning signs of cancer; and (3) to teach older aged patients how to care for themselves after cancer surgery (e.g., ostomy patients).
    4. Development of methods to be used as guidance for physicians to estimate proper medication dosage in elderly cancer patients given body composition, size, age, other health problems, kidney functioning, and other physiologic parameters. This includes estimates of an initial or loading dose of therapeutic drugs and daily maintenance for continuance of therapeutic concentration of drugs in the patient's bloodstream.
    
    
    

    Dr. Rosemary Yancik
    , Fax:
    Email:

14. Development of devices and techniques for screening substantial numbers of individuals for particular alleles at loci of relevance to human genetic studies of aging.

    Winifred Rossi, M.A.
    , Fax:
    Email:

Other Research Topic(s) Within Mission of the Institute

For additional information on research topics, contact:

Dr. Michael-David ARR Kerns
National Institute on Aging
Gateway Building, Suite 2C218
7201 Wisconsin Ave., MSC 9205
Bethesda, MD
, Fax:
Email:

For administrative and business management questions, contact:

Ms. S. Linda Whipp
Grants Management Officer
National Institute on Aging
Gateway Building, Room 2N212
7201 Wisconsin Ave., MSC 9205
Bethesda, MD 20892
, Fax:
Email:

The NIA supports biomedical, behavioral, and social research and research training on the aging process as well as on the diseases and other special problems and needs of older people. It supports grant research under four established programs: Biology of Aging, Behavioral and Social Research, Neuroscience and Neuropsychology of Aging and Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology.