Principal Investigator: Christopher Hurst

Sarcopenia is the age-related decline in muscle mass and function, affecting 25% of people by age 85. As we age, we lose muscle strength. This is, in part, caused by an increasing amount of fat inside the muscle, which could be related to inflammation. Currently, measuring this muscle fat is only possible via expensive imaging methods such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

In this project, we are using blood samples and MRI scans to identify if there are specific markers of inflammation that are related to the amount of fat that we can see in the muscles. Better understanding of how specific markers in the blood are related to the fat in the muscle, may lead to better diagnosis and treatment for patients.