The Science of Aging: Summer 2025
By Nicolette Calcavecchia
The Science of Aging: An IOA Newsletter, Summer 2025 Edition | DIGITAL VERSION 
A LOOK INSIDE:
Download the PDF here.
FDA Approves First Blood Test Used in Diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially cleared the first-ever blood test to aid in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease — a milestone many experts say…
View Full Post
Is Klotho the key to brain resilience in aging?
By Nicolette Calcavecchia
Dr. Dena Dubal, a neurologist at UCSF and this year’s Mary and Joseph A. Pignolo, Sr. Lectureship in Aging Research Awardee, is leading groundbreaking research on Klotho, a protein identified as a longevity factor.
Dr. Dubal's work reveals that Klotho not only extends lifespan but also enhances brain resilience, improving cognition in both healthy and diseased brains. In animal models of aging, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's, increasing Klotho levels—either genetically or through protein injections—boosted memory and learning by strengthening synaptic function, particularly through NMDA receptor pathways.
During her lecture on the topic, Dr. Dubal explained that these benefits occur even when Klotho…
View Full Post
IOA Member Spotlight: Jina Ko, PhD - Developing Next-Generation Diagnostic Tools
By Nicolette Calcavecchia
Jina Ko, PhD
Assistant Professor of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science
Assistant Professor of Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Dr. Jina Ko is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, holding joint appointments in the Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine and Bioengineering at the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Her research focuses on developing next-generation diagnostic tools through the integration of bioengineering, molecular biology, and chemistry. Dr. Ko's lab specializes in droplet microfluidics, single extracellular vesicle analysis, and…
View Full Post
IOA Member Spotlight: James Shorter, PhD - Using proteostasis machinery to inform and develop therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative disorders
By Nicolette Calcavecchia
James Shorter, PhD is a Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The Shorter lab studies how to counter deleterious phase transitions in neurodegenerative disease.
In 2024, Dr. Shorter and his team received the Zenith Fellows Award from the Alzheimer’s Association, which is among the most prestigious awards in Alzheimer's research worldwide, as well as an award from the Kissick Family Foundation in partnership with the Milken Institute Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration and an award from Hop On a Cure with the Robert Packard Center for ALS Research.…
View Full Post
Environmental Impacts on Neurodegeneration: A recap of the IOA's Sylvan M. Cohen Annual Retreat, co-sponsored by Penn Center for Excellence in Environmental Toxicology (CEET)
By Nicolette Calcavecchia
Environmental Impacts on Neurodegeneration
As our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases grows, it becomes increasingly clear that the environment can play a significant role in brain health. From air pollution to chemicals in everyday products, environmental factors may be influencing the onset and progression of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other forms of dementia. Bringing together leading experts in their fields, the Institute on Aging (IOA) and Penn Center for Excellence in Environmental Toxicology (CEET) tackled this topic co-hosting this year’s Sylvan M. Cohen Annual Retreat and Poster Session.
Read about some of the topics covered below:
"Exposure…
View Full Post
