Although it results in cancer remission in many cases, side effects such as intestinal problems cause therapy to be stopped in other patients. Left unchecked, this damage can initiate a chain reaction that ultimately kills the cancer cell. The 1999 AFAR Grant for Biomedical Research in Gerontology and Geriatrics provided Dr. Jiang with one year of support to continue her studies on osteoporosis, a condition of aging that results in a loss of bone and subsequent vertebral and hip fractures. Dr. Jiang's research centers around understanding the precise molecular mechanism by which estrogens control bone remodeling and how estrogen is involved in osteoporosis. This research could lead to a better understanding of osteoporosis and could provide the necessary clues leading to the discovery of drugs for treatment.
Osteoporosis is a very serious disease that affects millions of the elderly, especially women.
Dr. Jiang will be studying a novel area of bone biology, the role of cell communications, and how alterations in communication may lead to disease. Dr. Jiang is a graduate of the State University of New York, with a Ph.D. in biochemistry and cell biology. Formerly an instructor in the cell biology department at Harvard Medical School, she joined the Health Science Center's Department of Biochemistry in 1997. Dr. Jiang is a recipient of the National Research Service Award from the National Institutes of Health and the San Antonio Area Foundation Award, among other honors. The AFAR grant program was started in 1982 to fund research projects dealing with the basic mechanisms of aging, the nature of age-related impairments and the role of aging processes in the development of disease.