Donations to CREA are tax-deductible. You may now contribute to us on-line using a credit card, via the University's secure Give to Cal donation system. You may also write a check to

The Regents of the University of California, c/o CREA.
University of California, Berkeley
16 Barker Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720

Past News

(See the Interviews page for all past interview announcements.)

2 June 2005 — Photos from stem cell conference
Thanks to all of you who attended our recent stem cell conference! Here are some photos.
2 June 2005 — Ferrari lecture slides available
We have the PowerPoint slides from Dr. Ettore Ferrari's two lectures on campus in May:
10 April 2005 — Ettore Ferrari lectures
Please join us next month for a pair of lectures by gerontologist Dr. Ettore Ferrari from the University of Pavia, Italy. On 3 May 2005, Dr. Ferrari will lecture on Aging-related neuroendocrine changes. On 5 May 2005, the topic will be Eating behavior in physiological and pathological aging. Refreshments served!
5 April 2005 — May Conference: Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine
CREA and the UC Berkeley Bioengineering Department present a free conference to take place Wednesday 4 May 2005 in Sibley Auditorium, Bechtel Hall, UC Berkeley. Speakers will include Mike West, Mark Ratcliffe, Mary Helen Barcellos-Hoff, Irina Conboy, and Paola Timiras.
29 March 2005 — CREA project proposals
These proposed projects by CREA investigators are currently awaiting funding. To learn more about a particular project, we invite you to contact us or the respective investigator. Want to see these projects completed? Make a gift!
  • Hal Sternberg and Paola Timiras — How caloric restriction prolongs reproduction and lifespan
    This proposal aims to elucidate the mechanisms by which caloric restriction extends lifespan. Reduction of calories in the diet (caloric restriction) is a proven method of extending longevity in a large number of organisms, from yeast to monkeys; it also prolongs reproductive function and delays the onset of aging-associated diseases (cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes, etc.). Although the effects of caloric restriction have been studied extensively, our understanding of their mechanisms remains elusive. Our research intends to characterize further these mechanisms in order to identify neuroendocrine and pharmacologic means to mimic caloric restriction — without its discomfort — in prolonging healthy aging and longevity.
  • George Brooks, Thomas Budinger, and others — Mechanisms of body fat deposition and use in aging populations
    The incidences of obesity and adult onset diabetes (Type II Non-insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, NIDDM) are progressing at alarming rates in US adults and children, with some socio-economic groups particularly disadvantaged. Concern is heightened because obesity and NIDDM are associated with increased risks of other chronic diseases such as hypertension and coronary artery disease (CAD), as well as colon and breast cancers. Reasons for this epidemic are complex, but severity of the impending crises in realms of public health require concerted efforts to find means to prevent and manage chronic diseases related to the aging process and imbalance between dietary energy intake and energy expenditure. Body triglyceride exists in multiple pools (e.g., hepatic, sub-cutaneous, intra-abdominal, and intramuscular). In particular, accretion of intramuscular triglyceride (IMTG) is associated with insulin resistance and consequence of errors in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Specifically, we seek fundamental information on the mechanisms and controls of body fat deposition and use in aging populations, and subsequently to use the basic information to determine how the timing, quality and quantity of meals and physical activity sessions affect the mobilization of IMTG and other fat depots.
  • Ruzena Bajcsy — Information technology in service to the aging population
    This proposal aims to explore Information Technology and its applications to safety of the aging population during their normal physical activities, such as walking, changing positions from standing to sitting and vice versa, bending. Our concern is to monitor these activities and setup an alarm system if a fall occurs. The main research issue here is how to make the sensors easy to wear, unobtrusive, and able to communicate locations on demand yet respective of privacy. Most importantly, we need to avoid false alarms.
  • Paola Timiras and others — Establishment of one major and one minor in undergraduate interdisciplinary studies in aging and longevity
    The field of Studies of Aging and Longevity, also called Gerontology, has gained rapid momentum in recent years due to the rising increase in human longevity, both worldwide and in the United States. In particular, California has a continually growing elderly population (85+ years), whose numbers now exceed all other ethnic groups. While current advances in biological, physical and other areas of research have provided powerful tools for understanding and manipulating the aging process, further training and education in Studies of Aging and Longevity is essential for meeting the needs of this ever-increasing and influential population.
25 January 2005 — New courses on aging at UCB
Educate yourself about how aging occurs and new strategies to prevent it! Two new aging-related courses are being offered this semester. MCB 135K: Physiology of the Aging Process describes the aging process at the demographic, epidemiological, systemic, cellular, and molecular levels and discusses current means of prevention and treatment. BioE 298-25: From Stem Cells to Organs will present the newest findings of stem cell researchers as they relate to regenerative medicine and tissue repair. Course lectures will be taught by a rotating cast of experts in their respective fields, and members of the general public are welcome to attend.
22 January 2005 — Campisi Emeriti lecture: "Aging: What is it, why does it happen, what's to be done about it (if anything)?"
Dr. Judith Campisi is Senior Scientist and Director of the Center for Research and Training in Aging at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, as well as Professor at the Buck Institute for Aging Research. Today, Dr. Campisi delivered a lecture to the UC Berkeley Emeriti Association, and we have the Powerpoint slides.
CREA conference photos, slides available
The third annual CREA conference was held on 30 October. Thanks go out to the more than 200 attendees! Check out our photos of the proceedings, as well as the presentation slides of Drs. Campisi, Bajcsy, and Jagust.
23 August 2004 — Cal students present at summer symposium
Check out photos and research abstracts from last month's conference at an Austrian monastery on the neurobiology of aging.
CREA Conference
Why do we age?
How can exercise promote healthy aging?
What new cutting-edge technologies will allow independent living in the face of age-related illnesses?

These are some of the questions to be discussed by six prominent scientists at CREA's third annual conference, From the Lab to the Home: Enabling Technology for the Aging Population, to be held throughout the day on Saturday, October 30, 2004, on the University of California at Berkeley campus. This conference is free to the public, and we hope to see you there!

UCB Spring 2004 Course in Aging

MCB 239: Cellular Mechanisms of Stress.

Questions or comments? Email us at creaweb@berkeley.edu
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paul Segall.