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Published on: July 27, 2018
Shared Ageing Research Models (ShARM): a new facility to support ageing research
Adele L Duran1, Paul Potter, Sara Wells
1Department of Human Metabolism, Medical School, Mellanby Centre for Bone Research, University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK, a.duran@sheffield.ac.uk.
Biogerontology
|October 3, 2013
Summary
Shared Ageing Research Models (ShARM) facilitates ageing research by providing access to aged mouse tissues and live colonies. This resource sharing minimizes costs and animal use, accelerating scientific discovery in age-related diseases.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology and Biomedical Research
- Animal Models in Aging Studies
Background:
- Aging research is crucial due to increased life expectancy and age-related diseases.
- Mouse models are vital for studying human aging due to genetic and physiological similarities.
- High costs and time investment in aging mouse models present research limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a resource-sharing framework for aging research.
- To create a centralized repository for aged murine tissues and live colonies.
- To foster collaboration and data sharing among researchers in the field of aging.
Main Methods:
- Establishment of Shared Ageing Research Models (ShARM), a not-for-profit organization.
- Collection, storage, and distribution of flash-frozen tissues from aged murine models.
- Development of a database for live aging mouse colonies and an online platform (MICEspace) for data collation and discussion.
Main Results:
- ShARM has collected over 2,500 tissues and registered more than 2,000 mice in live aging colonies since its launch in July 2012.
- Facilitated collaboration among UK and European investigators, maximizing research output.
- Provided a cost-effective and ethically superior model for aging research, minimizing animal use.
Conclusions:
- Resource sharing through ShARM significantly enhances the efficiency and scope of aging research.
- The ShARM initiative effectively addresses the challenges of cost and time in aging mouse model studies.
- ShARM promotes collaborative research and data sharing, accelerating progress in understanding and mitigating age-related diseases.
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