Efficient experimental design in aging studies

Abstract

Aged animals for research are expensive, take time to develop, and require rigorous attention to husbandry. As such, it behooves the investigators who use aged animals to do so efficiently. Moreover, correlations of many variables with longevity, and increased heterogeneity with age tend to bias aging research toward negative results. Multiple age groups, longitudinal assays, necropsy, and multidisciplinary experiments are factors in efficient experimental design that may significantly enhance the statistical power and interpretability of aging studies.