The program, “Skeleton and Joint Degeneration with Aging” is funded by the National Institute of Aging and will focus on improving our understanding of the cellular mechanisms (i.e., senescence) that leads to uncoupled remodeling of subchondral bone and endplate porosity in normal aging associated with decreased mobility and increased pain and frailty. To support the goals of the individual projects and cores and to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts, we will establish the infrastructure, resources, and expertise that are required to support interdisciplinary basic, clinical and translational research to understand the role that cellular mechanisms play in the development of pain, frailty, and mobility disorders during the normal aging process.

To accomplish these goals, the Research Projects will be supported by an Administrative & Biostatistics Core and an In Vivo Animal Model and Histopathology Core. The Administrative Core will be co-directed by Xu Cao and Richard Skolasky and will provide the necessary infrastructure and resources to achieve the program objectives through coordination of communication and efforts among the research projects and cores. The In Vivo Animal Model and Histopathology Core will be co-directed by Xu Cao and Gehua Zhen and will provide animal model and microsurgery, histological grading, micro-CT analysis, behavior tests, and training in research methods to support the research projects.