Randy Strong, Ph.D.

Director, NIA Aging Interventions Testing Center

Co-Director NIA Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Biology of Aging

Associate Director for Translational Research, Barshop Institute

I am a tenured Professor of Pharmacology at UT Health San Antonio Texas and a Senior Research Career Scientist in the affiliated Veterans Health Administration (VA) and an associate member of a VA Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC). I direct one of 8 National Institute on Aging (NIA)-funded Nathan Shock Centers of Excellence in the Biology of Aging (P30 grant). Our center focuses on identifying therapeutic targets for test-agents that may increase longevity and extend the healthy portion of the lifespan (healthspan). I also direct one of 3 national centers, as part of the Aging Interventions Testing Program (ITP), a cooperative program funded by the National Institute on Aging through a U01 mechanism. For more than 16 years, I have collaborated closely with Drs. Richard Miller and David Harrison, directors of the Interventions Testing Centers at the University of Michigan (UM) and The Jackson Laboratory (TJL), respectively, to test, in parallel at each site, interventions that are hypothesized to increase lifespan and health and reduce diseases in genetically heterogeneous mice. The UT site contributes to the effort by providing pharmacology expertise. One of our greatest achievements is that we led the study at UT showing, for the first time, that a drug, rapamycin, increased lifespan of mice, even when treatment was begun late in life (Nature, 2009). I am Associate Director of the San Antonio Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (P30 award). Our center is testing compounds in elderly humans and non-human primates, including those test agents identified by the ITP as extending lifespan and improving health. In addition, I am funded by the VA to determine the role of biogenic aldehydes in Parkinson’s disease. Using several different genetically altered mouse models that we produced we are investigating potential therapeutic targets, including neurotoxic metabolites of dopamine. I am also a Co-PI of the Stevens Foundation Parkinson’s Disease Center of Excellence whose purpose is to enhance education and research in Parkinson’s disease at the UT Health Science Center.

Professional Background
Education
- 1982 - PhD - Biomedical Sciences - The University of Texas at Houston
- 1977 - BA - Psychology - The University of Texas at Austin
Highlights

Dielmann Distinguished Chair in Aging, August, 2016
Health Cell State of the Industry, “Featured Speaker”, February 10, 2015
San Antonio Business Journal, “Health Care Hero Award”, April 12, 2010
Recognized by Nature, “Top 10” stories of 2009, for murine life-extension by rapamycin, Dec. 21, 2009
Recognized by Science, “The Breakthroughs of 2009”, for murine life-extension by rapamycin, Dec. 18, 2009
Department of Veterans Affairs Senior Research Career Scientist Award, April 1, 2016
Appointments
- 4/2004 - Present - Director - Aging Intervention Testing Center, The University of Texas Health Science CenterSan Antonio
- 6/2010-Present - Co-Director - Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Biology of Aging, The University of Texas Health Science CenterSan Antonio
- 9/2006 - Present - Professor - The University of Texas Health Science Center, Pharmacology
- 5/2016-Present - Associate Director for Translational Research, Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies - The University of Texas Health Science Center
- 4/2009 -Present - Senior Research Career Scientist - South Texas Veterans Health Care System, Audie L. Murphy Division
Research & Grants

Grants

Active
1U01 AG022307 (Strong, PI) 9/30/2019 - 4/30/24
NIH/NIA Center for Testing Potential Anti-Aging Interventions
This is one of three national centers funded by the National Institute on Aging whose purpose is to test interventions for which therapeutic targets have been identified that are hypothesized to modulate the aging process.

1P30 AG013319 (Strong/Hornsby/Salmon MPI) 7/1/20 - 6/30/25
NIH/NIA Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in Basic Biology of Aging
The purpose of the Nathan Shock Center is to support aging research, both nationally and locally, by providing a battery of integrated core services that are of exceptional interest to researchers in the biology of aging.

1P30 AG044271 (Musi/Strong/Espinoza MPI) 7/1/20 - 6/30/25
NIH/NIA San Antonio Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center
The purpose of the program is to test pharmaceutical interventions in non-human primates and humans that are hypothesized to enhance healthy aging and prevent or delay age-related diseases.

1R01 ES026627 9/01/18-8/31/23
(Strong, PI – Subcontract/ Doorn, PI – Parent R01)
Role of Reactive Intermediates in Pesticide Neurotoxicity
The goal of these studies is to test the hypothesis that the neurotoxicity of specific pesticides is due to the elevation of the neurotoxic dopamine metabolite, DOPAL, in midbrain dopamine neurons.

1 I01 BX001641-05A1 (R. Strong - PI) 10/01/19-9/30/23
VA/BLR&D / VA Merit Review
Detoxification of Biogenic Aldehydes in Parkinson’s disease
The goal of these studies is to test the hypothesis that elevated levels of biogenic aldehydes are involved in the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease in vivo by stabilizing toxic α-synuclein oligomers. We will test an aldehyde trapping agent, hydralazine, as a potential intervention.

Perry and Ruby Stevens Charitable Foundation 9/01/17-8/31/22
(Clark/Giuffrida/ Strong/– MPI)
Perry and Ruby Stevens Parkinson’s Disease Center of Excellence
The purpose of the Perry and Ruby Stevens Parkinson’s Disease Center of Excellence is to 1) build a critical mass of PD research and research teams; 2) to provide mentored early-career training to rising PD scholars with the ultimate goal of establishing an NIH-designated PD Center of Excellence.
Publications

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Randy Strong, Ph.D.

Professional Background

Education

Highlights

Appointments

Research & Grants

Grants

Publications