Deusto secures funding from the Basque Government to develop a research project to combat frailty in older age through strength training

The #FRAILPOW project led by the Deusto Sport & Society team at the Faculty of Education and Sport, which focuses on research to combat frailty in older age, has been recognised under the Basque Government’s call for funding for health research and development projects. The award of this funding was announced in the resolution of 9 December 2025 by the Basque Government’s Deputy Minister for Health and Digital Transformation.

This is a key project in tackling frailty in older age, placing physical exercise at its core. “This recognition strengthens our commitment to research and innovation in the field of health, and would not have been possible without the joint efforts of a dedicated team from the University of Deusto and IIS Biobizkaia Health Research Institute,” explains Xabier Río de Frutos, Principal Investigator of the project.

FRAILPOW examines the impact of different strength- and power-based training interventions on muscle quality, functionality and multiparametric omics in frail older adults.

This ambitious and rigorous project, with a clear focus on impact, will be carried out in collaboration with the Biobizkaia Health Research Institute Association and will integrate exercise science, public health and advanced biomedical analyses to generate applicable and transformative knowledge.

Frailty in older adults is one of the major social and health challenges of our time. “Research is not just about measurement,” says Maite Aurrekoetxea, also a researcher at Deusto Sport & Society, “but about improving people’s lives: preserving autonomy, preventing dependency and promoting a more dignified, active and healthy ageing.”

This recognition rewards collective effort, scientific excellence and a commitment to research with a social impact.