Garrison Institute on Aging

WELCOME

The Garrison Institute on Aging (GIA) is the keystone of a collaborative initiative of the TTUHSC schools to help seniors successfully approach and extend the years of quality life.

Our mission is to promote healthy aging through cutting-edge research in aging-related health issues, including Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, as well as through innovative educational and community outreach programs that target students, clinicians, researchers, health care professionals, and the public. From investigating the causes of neurodegenerative diseases to preparing health care professionals for the growing demands of geriatric care to educating seniors on preventive medicine and challenges impacting the geriatric population, the GIA is addressing significant health issues of the aging population.

Using cutting-edge research methods and state-of-the-art techniques, scientists at the GIA are actively working to identify novel targets and develop and test promising new drug compounds to improve healthy aging and to prevent and/or stop the progression of neurodegenerative and other aging-related diseases. In addition to research facilities for behavior, electrophysiology, and molecular biology, the GIA houses biobanks for human brain tissue, bodily fluids, and DNA. Educational and outreach programs include the Translational Research Seminar Series, Healthy Aging Lecture Series, Caregiver Program, Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), and Healthy Lubbock.

Our vision is to serve as a critical hub at TTUHSC to stimulate and accomplish collaborative initiatives in research, education, and service related to healthy aging and aging-related neurodegenerative and other disorders. Through a combination of GIA-based programs and collaborative initiatives with colleagues across TTUHSC GIA seeks to provide a unique platform for the creation and application of new knowledge about healthy aging within academic, clinical, and community settings.

History

In 1999, TTUHSC leadership identified aging as a strategic priority for the 21st Century. The Board of Regents approved the establishment of the Institute for Healthy Aging which was renamed in February 2005, in honor of Mildred and Shirley L. Garrison.

Executive Director

GIA advances and disseminates knowledge about healthy aging and aging related health issues, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, through basic and translational research. GIA houses a newly created behavioral testing and electrophysiology facility, molecular biology laboratories, brain bank, and a longitudinal epidemiological data base on aging in a multiethnic adult sample from rural communities of West Texas (Project FRONTIER).

Aging-related nervous system dysfunctions represent a major health care problem in this country and worldwide. The better understanding of disease mechanisms is needed to develop novel and improved diagnostic and therapeutic tools and strategies. GIA provides the infrastructure and expertise for collaborative efforts of basic scientists and clinicians from various disciplines and specialties in the area of aging-related and neurodegenerative disorders.

Thank you for visiting our website. Please feel free to contact the GIA team headed by Dr. Neugebauer with any questions or for more information.

neugebauer