Qi Zhao, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC,) has been awarded approximately $3 million to research improvements in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of sarcopenia.

Characterized by the age-related, involuntary loss of muscle mass and strength, sarcopenia is one of the primary causes of physical functional decline and loss of independence in older adults. The causes of sarcopenia are largely unknown and no FDA-approved medications are currently available to treat this ailment.

Dr. Zhao's study will examine indicators associated with sarcopenia-related traits such as muscle mass, strength, and function in adults over the age of 60, using a state-of-the-art metabolomics approach. Dr. Zhao will identify new groups of small molecules associated with these key traits, helping discover new metabolic pathways that can be targeted for medication testing.