A Federal Initiative to Advance Gerontology

The National Institute on Aging (NIA), one of 27 Institutes and Centers of the National Institute of Health (NIH), funds eight Nathan Shock Centers of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging.  The initiative is named after Nathan Shock, PhD, Director of Gerontology Research at NIH for 35 years. Dr. Shock is regarded by many as the "father of gerontology."

The Nathan Shock Centers program was established in 1995 to build upon well-developed institutional programs leading the way in the basic research of the biology of aging.  Each of the eight centers offers state-of-the-art research resources to create the strongest environment possible for the advancement of aging research. This collaborative network allows for increased awareness and enhanced networking opportunities for everyone working to advance the biology of aging. 

The University of Minnesota Nathan Shock Center on Genome Integrity and Aging (UMN NSC) aims to advance the mechanistic understanding of aging by focusing on genome integrity, a primary hallmark of aging. The UMN NSC provides investigators access to cutting-edge cores for quantifying oxidative DNA damage, characterizing DNA damage responses and repair capacity, and utilizing murine models and human cell lines with impaired genome maintenance. Through these resources, the UMN NSC supports the development and testing of interventions targeting genome instability and its downstream effects on aging pathways.