Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Baylor College of Medicine received a $655,417 Project Grant award from the National Institute on Aging under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866) effective February 15, 2026, with completion scheduled for January 31, 2031. The grant supports a randomized clinical trial investigating the efficacy of GlyNAC supplementation—a combination of oral glycine and N-acetyl-cysteine—in promoting healthy aging in older adults. The research addresses age-related defects including mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation, insulin resistance, genomic damage, and endothelial dysfunction that contribute to physical decline, hypertension, and increased abdominal adiposity.

The study will evaluate whether restoring glutathione (GSH), the body's primary antioxidant that declines with age, can reverse documented aging-associated abnormalities in muscle and cellular function. Building on prior pilot research demonstrating GSH deficiency in older adults correlates with impaired mitochondrial fuel oxidation and cellular dysfunction, this clinical trial will assess whether GlyNAC supplementation improves physical performance metrics, metabolic parameters, cardiovascular function, and cellular health markers. The project addresses a critical public health need as the aging population is projected to exceed 2 billion by 2050, creating substantial economic and healthcare burden from age-related comorbidities.