Live Radio
photo credit: George AlfaroThe Buck Institute for Research on Aging is a familiar sight to drivers on northbound 101 in Novato.
High on a hill overlooking Novato is the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, a familiar landmark to anyone traveling north on U.S. Highway 101 in Marin County.
Its buildings stand out due to their angular white design. Plans for the Buck were created by noted architect I.M. Pei, who designed such famed buildings as the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston and the Louvre Pyramid in Paris.The institute, which opened in 1999, is considered one of the nation's top aging research centers. It offers guided tours two days a week. Not surprisingly, a recent tour drew visitors who were all over the age of 50.
Visitors watched a film explaining the institute's work and a docent led them through its research labs. Visitors also took in the magnificent views of the Bay and oak trees on the hills.
Docents told visitors about the difference between lifespan and healthspan, two key words in the aging field. Lifespan is the total years a person lives. But the Buck Institute focuses on healthspan, which is a measure of the healthy years of life. The institute's motto is "Live better longer."
"Based on what is happening in our labs and with folks living healthier lifestyles, most researchers see giving people 10-20 additional years of good health as a very achievable goal," said Kris Rebillot, the institute's senior director of communications.
A wall display at the Buck Institute showcases the variety of research undertaken in the labs. One lab studies "ER proteostasis in brain aging and disease," while another investigates "the role and regulation of autophagy in aging and age-related diseases." These details are listed on what is called "The Buck Wall of Awesomeness!"
Another wall display recounts the history of the Buck Institute, which was initially funded by money from the estate and trust of Marin County resident Beryl Buck. When she died in 1975, the estate was worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Legal battles occurred over how to use the funds for charitable purposes. Some of the money was eventually directed to study aging in Marin County.
Rebillot said the Buck name has led to a common misconception "that we are rolling in money because of the money we receive from the Buck Trust."
Under a 1987 court ruling, the institute receives a fixed amount from the trust each year. This year that's about $8 million. The Institute has a total budget of approximately $67 million, and 243 employees.
Over half of that total budget comes from government grants, which may be imperiled by cuts to the National Institutes of Health by President Donald Trump's administration. Rebillot said the institute expects major cuts in funding for overhead costs and grants, although specifics are not yet known.
Clinical studies are also a part of the Buck Institute's work. On the recent tour, flyers were available, seeking volunteers for a research study on postmenopausal women, and another investigating if drinking ketones daily will benefit older adults. Ketones are natural substances made in the liver that power the body.
The Buck Institute is the home for two centers: the Center for Human Healthspan, and another on healthy aging for women. The latter center was established in 2018, and Rebillot said it is the first of its kind.
"The center is focused on ovarian aging and the effects that aging has on the health of women," she said.
Docent-led tours of the Buck Institute at 8001 Redwood Blvd. in Novato are free, and are offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m.
