Genomic Sciences Core

PROJECT SUMMARY – GENOMIC SCIENCES CORE (GSC) The goal of the Genomic Sciences Core (GSC) is to provide geroscience researchers across the country with access to state-of-the-art genomic and epigenomic analyses targeted to biology of aging research questions and that are not typically provided by institutional cores. Specifically, the GSC will offer services related to the analysis of mitochondrial genomes, DNA modifications (methylation/hydroxymethylation), and epigenomic clocks. In coordination with the GeroInformatics Resource, these services will take investigator-submitted samples from data generation to analysis and interpretation. In the previous cycle, our epigenomic, mitochondrial genomic, and transcriptomic services were widely used in a variety of geroscience studies and investigators from across the US. New services will integrate nanopore whole genome epigenomic analyses, digital PCR analyses of mitochondrial copy number, and epigenomic clock analyses. The rationale for focusing services in these areas is that; 1) Accumulation of mitochondrial DNA mutations/deletions and copy number changes are a central mechanistic hypothesis of mitochondrial dysfunction with aging, 2) Epigenetic mechanisms are a conserved, and potentially causative, factor in aging (increasing evidence demonstrates that not only does the epigenome change with aging, but anti-aging interventions can prevent age-related changes to the epigenome), and 3) Epigenomic clocks may provide a common index of biological aging and efficacy of ant-aging interventions. Central to the design of the GSC services are bioinformatic workflows to take investigators from sample submission to fully analyzed data. The GSC will have three aims: 1) Perform quantitatively precise DNA modification analyses, ranging from genome-wide to gene-specific using advanced epigenetic technologies, 2) Measure mitochondrial genome heteroplasmy and copy number for comprehensive variant analysis and absolute quantitation, and 3) Epigenomic clock analyses for murine studies. GSC services are designed such that aging research investigators can take advantage of specific analyses or whole workflows that meet their experimental needs, and all services can be performed on stored nucleic acid samples. The Genome Sciences Core has developed a set of tools highly relevant to aging research that are not widely available to investigators, either in their own laboratories or through institutional core facilities, both in terms of instrumentation and expertise, meeting a need for a resource provider in the field. Furthermore, the interaction with the GeroInformatics Resource provides a workflow where not only can geroscience investigators from across the country have data generated by the GSC but it is analyzed into an investigator-usable format.