San Antonio Aging Interventions Testing Program

(ITP) is funded by the Biology of Aging Program of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to evaluate treatment strategies likely to prevent or delay adverse age-dependent changes in cells and tissues, and to diminish the burden of disease in old age. Interventions considered for the program include, but are not limited to pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, plant extracts, hormones, chelators, and redox agents.

The Aging Interventions Testing Program consists of three testing centers: the UT Health San Antonio, the Jackson Laboratory, and the University of Michigan. The three sites contribute their unique strengths and experience to the program, working cooperatively to perform testing in triplicate. Each site manages an animal and phenotyping core. The ITP sites also boast an expertise in pathology, analytical pharmacology, statistical analysis, and mouse protocol development.

The goal of the ITP is to test four or five new compounds each year. These compounds are proposed by the research community through an annual call-for-proposals.