Multidisciplinary Research Training in Gerontology

University Of Southern California, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

This is a revision application to add two postdoctoral positions for researchers with a focus on Alzheimer?s (AD) and a course on Current Research on Alzheimer?s to the Multidisciplinary Research Training Program in Gerontology at the University of Southern California. This program currently provides predoctoral and postdoctoral training within key disciplines in aging including gerontology, demography, psychology, biology, medicine, economics, sociology, and public policy. All trainees are engaged in research on factors influencing physical and mental health over the lifecycle. Some trainees currently focus on cognitive functioning or AD. Trainees are expected to become expert in one aspect of aging but acquire familiarity with the theory and methodological approaches of related disciplines. The intent is to inspire students to incorporate multidisciplinary thinking and models in their own research. A significant number of training faculty have research in the area of AD and this revision would add a training focus in AD by developing a weekly multidisciplinary seminar on Current Research in AD that would be attended by faculty and students. In addition, we request support for two additional postdoctoral positions for 2 years each to work specifically on Alzheimer?s disease. Current faculty are heavily involved in research on cognitive loss, dementia, and Alzheimer?s but the training program has not focused on AD. The training program is housed in a multidisciplinary independent School, the Davis School of Gerontology, devoted to the study of aging. The training environment is rich with resources and research opportunities for the study of AD. The setting is a unique interdisciplinary school. The school is within a University rich in resources for studying AD. The faculty serving as mentors include experts in multiple aspects of AD. Mentors in the social sciences have been responsible for major data collection undertakings in a number of national and local studies with harmonized data on cognition; investigators in biology have long been involved Alzheimer?s research; investigators in policy are involved in work on the costs of AD and the effects on caregivers; investigators in medicine and psychology have been investigating basic changes in the structure and function of the brain and collecting national and international data on brain structure and function. The training program?s goal is to train students with research interests in AD to develop and establish independent research careers to become leading scholars in in the science of aging. The program draws from a large pool of talented students. Almost all students who enter the program complete it successfully and launch productive research careers in aging. The program has produced a number of leaders and emerging leaders in aging-related research. The program has also successfully recruited and trained a large number of under-represented minority scholars.