The Buck Institute for Research on Aging is an independent biomedical research institute that researches aging and age-related disease.
The institute, a nonprofit organization located in Novato, California, began its research program in 1999 as the nation's first freestanding institute for basic aging research[1]. It is named for Marin County philanthropists Leonard and Beryl Hamilton Buck, whose estate funded the endowment that helped establish the institute[2].
Its current president and CEO, Eric M. Verdin, was appointed in November 2016[3]. He succeeds Brian K. Kennedy[4] and founding president and CEO, Dale Bredesen[5].
The Buck Institute is currently one of eleven organizations that compose The Glenn Centers for Research in Aging, which are research centers that aim to extend the healthy years of life through basic research[6].
History
edit*Add the following at the end of current "History" section*
The Institution opened its doors in August 1999[7] and completed the construction of an additional building, funded by the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, in 2012[8][9]. In 2015, it became the world's largest stem cell bank, storing 300 stem cell lines at the time[10]. In July 2018, the institution announced, with $6 million from ClearAccessIP CEO Nicole Shanahan as seed money, it will establish the Center for Female Reproductive Longevity and Equality[11].
Architecture
editThe campus of the Buck Institute was designed by the architect I. M. Pei[12], who is known for works like the Louvre Pyramid[13]. The institute is on a 488-acre (1.97 km2; 0.76 sq mi) site[14] located in the foothills of Mount Burdell[15], north of Novato, California.
Research
editThe Buck Institute houses twenty laboratories that fall under one or more of the following ten focus areas[16]:
- AI and computational biology
- Basic mechanisms of aging
- Cancer associated with aging
- Cellular stress and disease
- Exercise, nutrition, and metabolism
- Female reproductive longevity
- Mitochondria and bioenergetics
- Neurodegeneration
- Senescence and inflammation
- Stem cells and regenerative medicine
It serves as an incubator for many biotechnology start-up companies, including Unity Biotechnology[17] and Mount Tam Biotechnologies[18]. Unity Biotechnology, co-founded by a Buck faculty member Judith Campisi[19], is using senolytic drugs to eliminate senescent cells to fight age-related diseases[20]. Mount Tam Biotechnologies, named for Mount Tamalpais, the highest peak in Marin County, is researching the effects the drug rapamycin has on extending health spans in animals via the mTOR gene pathways[21]. The Buck Institute owns significant legal rights to the drug, but has leased out its rights to Mount Tam Bio[22].
The institute is currently leasing 27,000 sq ft of its campus to for-profit businesses, including BioMarin, Ultragenyx, Cellular Dynamics, An2H Discovery Limited, and Excel Venture Management[23].
Education
editThe Buck Institute and the USC David School of Gerontology announced a joint PhD Biology of Aging Program in 2013, making it the first aging biology PhD program in the nation[24]. The institute also collaborates with Dominican University of California to provide its Biological Sciences master's students research opportunities[25] and Touro University to host the Medical Health Sciences master's students[26].
The institute offers research internships for high school students[27], education programs for teachers called STEAM ENGINE[28], and weekly docent-led tours on Thursdays[29].
The institute is the "founding" partner of the North Bay Science Discovery Day[30], an annual science education and outreach event for children in the North Bay.
Notable Faculty
edit- ^ "Forging a Palace for Research on Aging". The Scientist Magazine®. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ "The Buck is Growing - Marin Magazine - September 2011 - Marin County, California". www.marinmagazine.com. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ "Novato's Buck gets $10M gift, names new CEO". The North Bay Business Journal. 2016-11-25. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ www.bizjournals.com https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/biotech/2016/10/buck-institute-brian-kennedy-edward-lanphier-sgmo.html. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ Writer, Paul JonesStaff. "Dale Bredesen, prez and CEO of Buck Institute, stepping down". Marinscope Community Newspapers. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ "Glenn Foundation for Medical Research". glennfoundation.org. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ Doyle, Jim; Writer, Chronicle Staff (2003-07-25). "Asking age-old questions / At Buck Institute in Novato, top scientists investigate how we grow old". SFGate. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ "The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine Building 3 – Kitchell". www.kitchell.com. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ Newspapers, Tim OmarzuMarinscope. "Buck Institute to add new building". Marinscope Community Newspapers. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ Khury, Stela. "World's largest public stem cell bank inaugurated in California". The Sacramento Bee. ISSN 0890-5738. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ www.bizjournals.com https://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2018/07/nicole-shanahan-donates-6m-to-study-womens-health.html. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ Keep, Elmo. "Can Human Mortality Really Be Hacked?". Smithsonian. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ "https://www.architectmagazine.com/awards/aia-honor-awards/louvre-pyramid-the-folly-that-became-a-triumph_o". www.architectmagazine.com. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
{{cite web}}
: External link in
(help)|title=
- ^ "Northbay Family Homes | Mixed-Use Project : Buck Village Apartments". www.nfh.org. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ "The Buck Institute for Research on Aging". Visit Novato. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ "Focus Areas". BUCK. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ "Buck Institute launches Unity Biotechnology". The North Bay Business Journal. 2016-02-03. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ Cox, Patrick. "This Company With Anti-Aging Drug Is Secretly Preparing For Trump's New FDA". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ Hall, Stephen S. "Finally, the drug that keeps you young". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
- ^ Zaleski, Andrew (2018-08-29). "Why Jeff Bezos is backing this scientist working on a cure for aging". www.cnbc.com. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
- ^ Cox, Patrick. "This Company With Anti-Aging Drug Is Secretly Preparing For Trump's New FDA". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
- ^ Cox, Patrick. "This Company With Anti-Aging Drug Is Secretly Preparing For Trump's New FDA". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
- ^ "Novato: Buck institute shakeup leaves lingering funding, leadership questions". Marin Independent Journal. 2016-11-27. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
- ^ "Buck Institute to Partner With USC on New Program on Aging". Novato, CA Patch. 2013-11-19. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
- ^ "MS in Biological Sciences — Dominican University of California". www.dominican.edu. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
- ^ cop.tu.edu http://cop.tu.edu/programs_degrees/MSMHS_program_overview.pdf. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "High School Summer Scholars Biology Research Immersion Program". ExploreHealthCareers.org. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
- ^ "Women in Business: Julie Mangada, Buck Institute". The North Bay Business Journal. 2016-06-27. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
- ^ "The Buck Institute for Research on Aging". Visit Novato. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
- ^ "northbayscience | Sponsor/Partner Information". STEM | Discovery Day | NBSDD | Kids | Free | Science | Fun. Retrieved 2019-01-17.