Pilot and Exploratory Studies Core Featured Image

Core Leader: Neal Fedarko, PhD

The overall goal of Pilot and Exploratory Studies Core (PESC) is to cultivate and support cutting edge pilot and exploratory studies that will advance the development of effective prevention and/or therapies for frailty and hence facilitate independence in older adults. The PESC provides funding, access to biostatistical, biological, and clinical research core resources, and mentoring and oversight to completion of pilot and exploratory studies. The PESC leadership is focused on the development, conduct and eventual translation of high impact pilot studies. Proposed studies must be novel, hypothesis-driven research that establishes potential mechanisms, etiologies, screening approaches or evaluates potential therapies to prevent or ameliorate the syndrome of frailty and related endophenotypes and hence maintain independence. It is expected that PESC supported studies will establish preliminary data that will lead to substantive, long term external funding that can bring this research to completion. The specific aims of this core are:

• To solicit, select, and support pilot and exploratory studies (PES) that advance the biological understanding of frailty, or studies that move OAIC biological discoveries related to frailty towards intervention development. This process will enable the PESC and other core leaders to identify areas of focus that are crucial to accelerating the progress of frailty-related research.

• To support development of well-designed and informative PES, by providing intellectual leadership that articulates the scientific vision, goals and priorities of the center, and ensures optimal study design and utilization of the extensive intellectual and research resources offered by other OAIC cores.

• To provide and conduct longitudinal mentorship and oversight, from conception to translation, for investigators whose pilot proposals are supported by the OAIC. This includes content and career mentorship, assistance in helping the awardee understand how the project fits into the overall theme of frailty-related research, facilitating successful, timely completion of projects, and guiding the awardee in developing further independent funding of PESC supported research. Guide the translation of pilot and exploratory study results developed within this core into a deeper understanding of the basic biology of frailty, or into interventions that will prevent or treat frailty and improve independence in older adults through fostering interdisciplinary communication and collaboration between supported investigators and participants in other OAIC cores.

• To expand the research environment and network of investigators focused on frailty research by bringing the scientific progress of pilot and other OAIC supported studies to the attention of individuals with the potential to contribute to the study of frailty, by helping awardees present their research at local and national forums, by placing awardees in contact with other individuals at Johns Hopkins and nationally whose interests intersect with the topic they are researching, and by encouraging discussion of frailty and the potential application of the pilot studies being supported in clinical, epidemiological and basic science forums throughout the medical institutions and nationally.

Pilot Core supported Investigators and Projects

07/01/2023-06/30/2024 (Year 21)

  • Ryan Roemmich, PhD: “Using video-based pose estimation for automated, quantitative frailty assessment in older adults.”
  • Margaret Taub, PhD, Rasika Mathias, PhD: “Multi-modal genetic signatures of aging for frailty in the TOPMed Program.”
  • Melissa Hladek, PhD: “Digital Access Pilot to Address Support, Literacy and Communication in those with Frailty/Pre-Frailty awaiting Kidney Transplant.”

07/01/2022-06/30/2023 (Year 20)

  • Najim Dehak, PhD, and Laureano Moro Velazquez, PhD: “Artificial intelligence-based phenotypic biosignals of frailty.”
  • Nicola Heller, PhD, and Franco D’Alessio, MD: ““Investigating changes in monocyte-macrophage phenotype and inflammation in older frail adults.”
  • Lee Goeddel, MD, MPH: “A Pilot Study to Identify Frail Patients Prior to Surgery and Implement a Novel Social Work- Focused Preoperative Intervention.”
  • Amal Wanigatunga, PhD: “The Effects of a Proof-of-Concept Sedentary Reduction Program on Metabolism in Prefrail Older Adults.”

07/01/2021-06/30/2022 (Year 19)

  • Lee Goeddel, MD, MPH: “A Pilot Study to Identify Frail Patients Prior to Surgery and Implement a Novel Social Work- Focused Preoperative Intervention.”
  • Thorsten Leucker, MD, PhD: “PCSK9 Links Age and Frailty related Inflammation to Endothelial Cell Dysfunction”
  • Reyhan Westbrook, PhD: “The Effects of Tryptophan Degradation Pathway Manipulation on Metabolism, Healthspan and Lifespan in Mice.”

07/01/2020-06/30/2021 (Year 18)

  • Janiece Taylor, PhD: “Pilot Behavioral Intervention to Address Pain and Frailty in Older African-American Women.”
  • Anne Le, MD: “Metabolomics Energy Signatures of Frailty.” 
  • Thorsten Leucker, MD, PhD: “PCSK9 Links Age and Frailty related Inflammation to Endothelial Cell Dysfunction”
  • Tae Chung, MD: ” Effects of Neurotoxic Kynurenines on Peripheral Nerve Regeneration.”
  • Reyhan Westbrook, PhD: “The Effects of Tryptophan Degradation Pathway Manipulation on Metabolism, Healthspan and Lifespan in Mice.”
  • Kathy Wilson, PhD: “Analysis of lamin A/C-associated proteins in the frail (IL10-KO) heart.”
  • Alden Gross, PhD: “Resilience and Multifactorial Stressors Among Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”

07/01/2019-06/30/2020 (Year 17)

  • Janiece Taylor, PhD: “Pilot Behavioral Intervention to Address Pain and Frailty in Older African-American Women.”
  • Anne Le, MD: “Metabolomics Energy Signatures of Frailty.” 
  • Thorsten Leucker, MD, PhD: “PCSK9 Links Age and Frailty related Inflammation to Endothelial Cell Dysfunction”
  • Naresh Punjabi, MD, PhD: “Association between Sleep Deficiency and Frailty: What harms most?”
  • Amal Wanigatunga, PhD: “Daily Physical Activity Patterns and the Modifying Role of Inflammatory Markers in Frailty”

07/01/2018-06/30/2019 (Year 16)

  • Janiece Taylor, PhD: “Pilot Behavioral Intervention to Address Pain and Frailty in Older African-American Women.”
  • Anne Le, MD: “Metabolomics Energy Signatures of Frailty.” 
  • Naresh Punjabi, MD, PhD: “Association between Sleep Deficiency and Frailty: What harms most?”

07/01/2017-06/30/2018 (Year 15)

  • Damani Piggott, MD: “Frailty and Angiotensin Receptor Autoantibody Activation among Persons Aging with HIV and Injection Drug Use.”
  • Bonnie Swenor, PhD: “Exploring the Relationship between Visual Impairment and Frailty in Older Adults.”
  • Katherine L. Wilson, PhD: “Laminopathy mechanisms as potential components of frailty.” 

07/01/2016-06/30/2017 (Year 14)

  • Mahendra Damarla, MD: “Effects of Poor Sleep Quality on Aging-Related Morbidity and Mortality in Acute Illness.”
  • Katherine L. Wilson, PhD: “Laminopathy mechanisms as potential components of frailty.” 

07/01/2015-06/30/2016 (Year 13)

  • Aleksandra Leszczynska, PhD: “Effect of Age and Frailty on the Reparative Capacity of the Stem Cell Secretome.”
  • Aarti Mathur, MD: “Frailty status as a predictor of alterations in speech, swallowing, and quality of life after thyroidectomy in the elderly population.”
  • Mara McAdams DeMarco, PhD: “Prehabilitation for Older Adults with End Stage Renal Disease on the Kidney Transplant Waitlist.” 
  • Nancy Schoenborn, MD: “Understanding patient preferences for prognosis communication among older adults across the spectrum of frailty.”

07/01/2014-06/30/2015 (Year 12)

  • Jessica Lee, MD, Fellow, and Jeremy Walston,  Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology: “A Study of Muscle Strength Maintenance in Older Adults.” 
  • Robert G. Weiss, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology: “Energy Production in Frailty:  Skeletal Muscle ATP Kinetics in Frail, Older Adults.”
  • Honggang Cui, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering:”The Specific Delivery of Pharmaceuticals into Mitochondria.”

07/01/2013-06/30/2014 (Year 11)

  • Jessica Lee, MD, Fellow, and Jeremy Walston, Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology: “A Study of Muscle Strength Maintenance in Older Adults.” 
  • Robert G. Weiss, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology: “Energy Production in Frailty:  Skeletal Muscle ATP Kinetics in Frail, Older Adults.”
  • Honggang Cui, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering:”The Specific Delivery of Pharmaceuticals into Mitochondria.”

07/01/2012-06/30/2013 (Year 10)

  • Mary Armanios, MD: “Telomere length and clinical outcomes in the Women’s Health Aging Study”
  • Qian-Li Xue, PhD: “Effects of Inflammation, Hormonal Alteration and mTOR Signaling in Modulating Age-related Declines in Muscle Strength”
  • Sevil Yasar, MD, PhD: “Vitamin D, frailty, inflammation and functional outcomes”

07/01/2011-06/30/2012 (Year 9)

  • Qian-Li Xue, PhD: “Effects of Inflammation, Hormonal Alteration and mTOR Signaling in Modulating Age-related Declines in Muscle Strength”
  • Sevil Yasar, MD, PhD: “Vitamin D, frailty, inflammation and functional outcomes”

07/01/2010-06/30/2011 (Year 8)

  • Yuri Agrawal, MD: “Vestibular dysfunction and clinical implications in frailty“
  • Rita Kalyani, MD: “Insulin Resistance, Energy Homeostasis, and Frailty”
  • Sevil Yasar, MD, PhD: “The renin-angiotensin system and physical and cognitive frailty”

07/01/2009-06/30/2010 (Year 7)

  • Ronald Cohn, MD: “Role of Increased TGF-beta signaling in age-related impairment of muscle regeneration”
  • M. Daniele Fallin, PhD, and Andrew Feinberg, PhD: “The relationship between aggregate and site-specific methylation and frailty among BLSA participants”
  • Sean Leng, MD, PhD: “Specific cytokines, IL-6, TNF-a, and TGF-b, regulate CXCL10 and hic-5 expression”

07/01/2008-06/30/2009 (Year 6)

  • Ronald Cohn, MD: “Role of Increased TGF-beta signaling in age-related impairment of muscle regeneration”
  • M. Daniele Fallin, PhD, and Andrew Feinberg, PhD: “The relationship between aggregate and site-specific methylation and frailty among BLSA participants”
  • Sean Leng, MD, PhD: “Specific cytokines, IL-6, TNF-a, and TGF-b, regulate CXCL10 and hic-5 expression”

06/01/2007 – 05/31/2008 (Year 5)

  • Dan Arking, PhD: “Assessment of mitochondrial DNA variation in frailty”
  • Enid Neptune, MD: “Transcriptional analysis of the aged lung phenotype”
  • Erwin Tan, MD: “The Effect of High-Intensity Volunteering on the Risk of Frailty”

06/01/2006 – 05/31/2007 (Year 4)

  • Dan Arking, PhD: “Assessment of mitochondrial DNA variation in frailty”
  • Enid Neptune, MD: “Transcriptional analysis of the aged lung phenotype”
  • Erwin Tan, MD: “The Effect of High-Intensity Volunteering on the Risk of Frailty”

06/01/2005 – 05/31/2006 (Year 3)

  • Ravi Varadhan, PhD: “Evaluating the Role of Glucocorticoid Resistance in Frailty”
  • Michelle Mielke, PhD: “Brain-derived and peripheral lipid levels as predictors of cognitive and physical frailty”
  • Richard Semba, MD, Jeremy Walston, MD: “Selenium supplementation”

06/01/2004 – 05/31/2005 (Year 2)

  • Jeremy Walston, MD: “IL-6 Gene Variation and Phenotypes Related to Frailty”
  • Paulo Chaves, MD, PhD: “Heart Rate Variability, Hemoglobin, and Frailty Status in Disabled, Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Pilot Study within the Women’s Health and Aging Study”

06/01/2003 – 05/31/2004 (Year 1)

  • Jeremy Walston, MD: “IL-6 Gene Variation and Phenotypes Related to Frailty”
  • Paulo Chaves, MD, PhD:“Heart Rate Variability, Hemoglobin, and Frailty Status in Disabled, Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Pilot Study within the Women’s Health and Aging Study”