AI-Driven Frailty Assessment and Molecular Correlation: A Multimodal Mentorship Initiative

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD

Investigators

Abstract

Dr. Peter Abadir is an active Geriatrician and associate professor of Medicine, Electrical, and Computer Engi- neering at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). He has put forth this K24 Mid-Career Development proposal dedi- cated to mentorship in patient-centric translational research. Dr. Abadir’s research connects molecular changes associated with aging to physical and cognitive declines observed in older adults. He's been instru- mental in bridging the fields of aging research and engineering at JHU, leading to the creation of both the Hop- kins GeroTech Program and Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratory (AITC) for Aging Research. Candidate: Dr. Abadir is committed to further training to broaden his research program and mentor emerging scholars from both biology and engineering. Recognized as an accomplished clinician-scientist, he boasts sig- nificant achievements in translational research, particularly concerning frailty and Alzheimer's disease. His es- calating leadership roles span both institutional and national platforms centered on patient-oriented research and aging-focused mentorship. As the co-PI of the Johns Hopkins AITC and the co-director of its Clinical Translation and Validation Core, Dr. Abadir actively contributes to the innovation of technologies tailored for older adults. Furthermore, he directs the molecular measurement core at the Older American Independence Center (OAIC) and is the associate director of the Translational Aging Research Training Program (T32). Mentoring Plan/Environment: Dr. Abadir's K24 proposal taps into the wealth of training assets at Johns Hop- kins including resources from the JHU AITC, OAIC, the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, and various T32 training grants. Special attention is given to recruiting underrepresented minorities. Ideal mentees exhibit interest at the intersection of aging, technology, and Geroscience. The structured mentoring approach categorizes mentees based on experience, allocating specific effort percentages to ensure quality interactions. Regular individual meetings, hands-on research training, data interpretation, and presentation skills enhance- ment form core of mentoring strategy. Multi-tiered evaluations ensure consistent mentorship quality. This strat- egy aims to cultivate future leaders in translational aging research from both biological and engineering fields. Research Plan: The pioneering research funded by this K24 award aims to harness Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and analytics for assessing physical and cognitive digital biosignals in frail older individuals including those with Alzheimer’s disease and associating these with molecular markers. The study will evaluate the ac- curacy and reliability of a new method that uses AI to analyze non-invasive multimodal biometric signals like speech, voice, eye movements, handwriting, and gait. This methodology will enhance our understanding of the varied characteristics of frailty in older individuals and pinpoint early cognitive shifts, including signs of Alz- heimer’s. Building upon the existing efforts at Johns Hopkins AITC and OAIC, this research seeks to uncover new insights and broaden avenues for upcoming researchers.