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May 2023 Director’s Status Report

Click on the links below to view sections of the May 2023 Director’s Status Report:

Budget and Appropriations

Status of FY 2024 Budget

President’s Budget

  • On March 9, 2023, President Biden released his fiscal year (FY) 2024 Budget. Supplementary documents were released on March 13, 2023. The President’s Budget requests $48.6 billion for NIH, an increase of approximately $900 million over the FY 2023 enacted level. In total, the bill requests $4.41 billion for NIA, the same as the FY 2023 enacted level. Note that the President’s Budget is not an official appropriation. Congress may choose to consider the President’s Budget when determining FY 2024 spending, but Congress ultimately has final discretion when making appropriations.

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Legislative Update

Legislation of Interest

  • On Jan. 30, 2023, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced S. 133, the NAPA Reauthorization Act, which would reauthorize the National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA) through 2035 and make other updates to the legislation. A House companion, H.R. 619, was introduced by Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) on the same day. Both bills have been referred to the relevant committees.
  • On Jan. 30, Collins also introduced S. 134, the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act, which would extend through 2035 a requirement that NIH submit an annual budget to Congress estimating the funding necessary to fully implement NAPA’s research goals. A House companion, H.R. 620, was introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) on the same day. Both bills have been referred to the relevant committees.

Hearings, Visits, and Other Topics of Interest

Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing on the NIH Budget — May 4, 2023
On May 4, 2023, NIA Director Dr. Richard Hodes joined Dr. Lawrence Tabak, performing the duties of the NIH director, and several other IC directors in testifying before the Senate Appropriations Labor-HHS Subcommittee on the FY 2024 NIH Budget.

Roundtable on older adults and healthy aging with Sen. Sanders (I-VT) and the staff of the Senate HELP Committee — April 18, 2023
On April 18, 2023, Dr. Luigi Ferrucci, director of the Division of Intramural Research, and other HHS subject matter experts (SMEs) participated in a roundtable on older adults and healthy aging with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and the staff of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

House and Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Staff Meeting — April 12, 2023

On April 12, 2023, Hodes, NIA Deputy Director Dr. Amy Kelley, and several NIA SMEs met with the health subcommittee majority and minority staff of the House and Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittees to discuss AD/ADRD research.

Briefing on the Eureka Prize for the staff of Sen. Wicker (R-MS) — Feb. 21, 2023

On Feb. 21, Dr. Dana Plude, deputy director of the Division of Behavioral and Social Research (BSR), and leadership from NIA’s Office of Legislation, Policy, and International Activities (OLPIA) briefed the staff of Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) on Eureka prize competitions.

Briefing on social isolation and loneliness in older adults for the staff of Rep. Flood (R-NE) — Feb. 14, 2023

On Feb. 14, 2023, Dr. Lis Nielsen, BSR director; Dr. Elena Fazio, director of BSR’s Office of AD/ADRD Strategic Coordination; and Dr. Liz Necka, a BSR program director, briefed the staff of Rep. Mike Flood (R-NE) on social isolation and loneliness in older adults.

Briefing on older adults and aging research for Sen. Sanders (I-VT) — Feb. 8, 2023

On Feb. 8, 2023, Ferrucci briefed Sanders on older adults and aging research.

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General Information

Staff Changes

Syed Abbas Bukhari, Ph.D., joined the Intramural Research Program (IRP) as a staff scientist (visiting program) in the Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology (LMBI), effective Feb. 12, 2023.

Nesar Akanda, M.D., Ph.D., joined the Scientific Review Branch (SRB) in the Division of Extramural Activities (DEA) as a scientific review officer. Akanda brings expanded knowledge from both basic and medical science to NIA. He obtained his M.D. in Bangladesh and then completed his Ph.D. in neuroscience at the Karolinska and Linköping University, Sweden. During this time, he discovered an ion channel named the “voltage-dependent anion channel” in the plasma membrane of apoptotic neurons. Before joining NIA, he was an associate professor (research track) at the University of Central Florida (UCF). He has diversified knowledge in a variety of therapeutic areas, including cell biology and neuroscience. One of his research projects at UCF focused on the investigation of neuronal cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) for the development of in vitro human models to study neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and aging. He utilized advanced technologies, including electrophysiology, for the investigation of a variety of diseases through human models. Akanda mentored many postdoctoral fellows, Ph.D. students, and technicians at UCF. He has published over 15 research papers in reputed journals, including several in Nature Publishing Group, and received awards for his contribution to the advancement of science.

Sylvana Alharmoosh joined BSR’s administrative team as a program analyst. Prior to joining NIA, Alharmoosh served as a program specialist in the Center for Scientific Review (CSR) where she fulfilled two main roles, one being lead extramural support assistant (ESA) to the Neurotechnology and Vision review branch in the Division of Neuroscience, Development and Aging, and the other being ESA training coordinator across all of CSR. She is working closely with Georgeanne Patmios, Roxanne Semple, and Lyn Neil on BSR’s operating budget, SMRA contract, and other planning and coordinating functions.

Jennifer Berry joined the IRP as an administrative officer in the Procurement Office, Office of the Scientific Director (OSD), effective Jan. 29, 2023.

Fatima Braikia, Ph.D., joined the IRP as a research fellow (visiting program) in the LMBI, effective Jan. 15, 2023.

Thomas Brickhouse joined the IRP as a clinical laboratory scientist, Laboratory of Neurogenetics (LNG), effective March 26, 2023.

Kathy Green joined the Division of Neuroscience (DN) as a program analyst. Green has over 20 years of federal experience and comes to us from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), where she was the lead program analyst for the Clinical Applications and Prevention Branch (CAPB) in the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences beginning in 2009. At NHLBI, she assisted program officers in the oversight of CAPB clinical trials for the branch’s ~225 active clinical trials and other studies that require an accrual monitoring plan. Green also served as the CAPB referral liaison and assigned all applications (~450/fiscal year) to the 12 CAPB program officers. Beginning in 2011, Green served as the portfolio analysis expert for CAPB to help identify gaps in scientific topic areas relating to prevention and treatment strategies to improve the quality of clinical care and public health. 

William Hoff joined the IRP as an administrative officer in the Administrative Office, OSD, effective Feb. 26, 2023.

Emily D. Hooker, Ph.D., joined BSR as a program official in the Individual Behavioral Processes Branch. Hooker completed her B.A. in psychology at the University of Kansas and went on to complete her Ph.D. in psychology and social behavior at the University of California, Irvine, where she was a National Science Foundation graduate research fellow. She completed postdoctoral training in the Department of Psychology at Pace University; the Department of Chicano/Latino Studies at the University of California, Irvine; and the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Hooker’s research has examined how sociocultural context, particularly socioeconomic context, and social relationships interact to shape health-relevant physiological processes and responses to stressors.

Chun-Ju (Janey) Hsiao, Ph.D., joined BSR as the deputy director of the Office of Data Resources and Analytics. She also serves as a program official in the Population and Social Processes Branch. Prior to joining NIA, Hsiao was a health scientist administrator at the Division of Digital Healthcare Research within the Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). She led several initiatives on patient-generated health data/patient-reported outcomes. Prior to joining AHRQ, Hsiao led the National Electronic Health Record Survey at the National Center for Health Statistics where her duties included survey development, data collection, statistical analyses, and reporting on physicians’ electronic health record systems adoption. Hsiao received a doctorate in health services research and a master of health science degree in health finance and management from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Michiyo Iba, Ph.D., joined the IRP as a biologist in the LNG, effective Feb. 26, 2023.

Kriti Jain, Ph.D., joined BSR as a program official in the Population and Social Processes Branch, managing the branch’s Field Experiments/Quasi-Experimental studies portfolio. This portfolio contains applications on macrosocial drivers of health across the life course and on old age and health disparities (e.g., poverty, housing, employment, public health, etc.). Prior to joining NIA, Jain worked at the Administration for Children and Families Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE). At OPRE, her work focused on designing and overseeing field experiments to evaluate social safety net programs related to domestic/intimate partner violence, ongoing research methods training, relationship education, and parenting education. She also studied and worked at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she focused on social factors in the lives of women living with HIV, including trauma, and mixed methods evaluations of HIV linkage and retention in care programs. She also evaluated a 15-country reproductive health program and previously worked as a management consultant. Jain’s academic training consists of a B.S. in microbiology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. and M.S. in public health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Mariel Jais, Pharm.D., joined the DEA SRB as a scientific review officer. Jais brings scientific, managerial, and administrative experience to the SRB. After obtaining a B.S. in biochemistry and a Pharm.D. from the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (Argentina), she conducted research at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public Health, where she focused on the role of activated B cells and dendritic cells in the transmission of HIV to bystander T cells, and the innate and adaptive immunopathogenesis of human herpesvirus-8 and HIV. The remainder of her career, before joining NIA, was spent at the George Washington University (GW). At GW’s Milken Institute School of Public Health, she conducted research on the interplay between aging and infectivity of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, notably, on how menopause and behavioral factors affect HIV acquisition in women. Jais then moved from the bench to an administrative position and became the director of GW’s Office of Laboratory Safety, where, with the help of her staff, she was responsible for administering the Biosafety, Laser Safety, and Radiation Safety programs that governed all university laboratories across GW’s three campuses in Washington, D.C., and Virginia.

Maja Maric, Ph.D., joined DN as a program director for the Neurobiology of Aging and Neurodegeneration Branch. Maric is a trained immunologist with experience in basic immunology, tumor immunology, microbiology, and autoimmune diabetes. Her portfolio encompasses various areas of neuroimmunology, neurovirology, and infectious agents. Examples of her areas of interest include the role of the adaptive immune system in neurodegeneration and the cognitive decline of the aging population, including from Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD), studies on behavioral outcomes following the manipulation of the adaptive immune system, antigen processing and presentation in the brain, the role of lymphatics and glymphatics on the brain during aging and their contribution to the development of AD/ADRD, as well as the infectious etiology of AD/ADRD. Prior to joining NIA, Maric served seven years as a program officer at NIAID in the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, where she managed a portfolio of large, multi-project U19 Cooperative Centers in Translational Research with the goal to support preclinical drug development targeting various infectious agents. Maric also served as a scientific review officer in the Scientific Review Program at NIAID. Maric earned her Ph.D. in pathology/tumor immunology at New York University Medical School and completed her postdoctoral training at Yale University in the field of antigen processing and presentation. She was a tenure-track faculty member at Georgetown University until 2011. Her research interests were in antigen processing and presentation and redox biology, with collaborations in the virology and autoimmune diseases, which resulted in publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Caio Mazucanti, Ph.D., joined the IRP as a research fellow (visiting program) in the Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, effective Jan. 29, 2023.

Karyn Onyeneho, Ph.D., joined DN as advisor, Genomic Data Sharing (GDS), and chair, Data Access Committee. Onyeneho will be chairing the NIA Data Access Committee overseeing the administration of data access requests to NIAGADS and ensuring investigators comply with the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy to advance AD/ADRD research. As advisor, GDS, in DN, she will be leading the development, implementation, and analysis of the NIH GDS policy implementation in DN and providing her expertise to other divisions at NIA. Onyeneho has joined the DN Data Management and Sharing Branch contacts working group, as well as the NIA Data Sharing working group. She joins NIA from the All of Us Research Program in the NIH Office of the Director.

Andras Orosz, Ph.D., joined the Division of Aging Biology (DAB) as a program officer for Cell Biology. Prior to coming to NIA, Orosz was a program director in the Division of Metabolism and Health Effects at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), starting in 2008. He obtained his Ph.D. from the Attila Jozsef University in Szeged, Hungary, where he studied the transcriptional termination mechanism of the E. coli ribosomal RNA operon rrnB. He received postdoctoral training at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), investigating the eukaryotic transcriptional master stress regulator heat shock factor (HSF) in Drosophila. Subsequently, as a research fellow at the Laboratory of Metabolism, NCI, he examined the role of basic leucine zipper transcription factors in lipoatrophic diabetes, carcinogenesis, and addiction. Before joining NIAAA, Orosz was a research instructor in the Cardiology Division at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center in Salt Lake City, where his research focused on elucidating the cardioprotective functions of heat shock proteins and HSF1. Orosz has a diverse portfolio that overarches a broad range of alcohol-induced pathologies, including the cardiovascular system, proteostasis (protein homeostasis) pathways, alcoholic liver disease, epigenetics, mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis, and identification and validation of alcohol biomarker signatures.

Justin Reber, Ph.D., joined DN as a scientific program specialist in the Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience Branch. He earned his A.B. in psychology from Princeton University, and he earned his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Iowa, where his work focused on the sequelae of focal brain lesions, particularly in the domains of cognition, emotion, decision-making, and personality. Following his doctoral work, Reber completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Iowa. There, his research focused on using multiple structural and functional connectivity measures to predict the long-term cognitive outcomes of strokes in large patient datasets. Reber then completed further postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania, where his research focused on optimizing the delivery and effectiveness of noninvasive neuromodulation, using machine learning and interleaved TMS-fMRI.

Veronica Ryan, Ph.D., joined the Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias (CARD) as an Alzheimer’s and related dementia independent scholar. Ryan earned her Ph.D. in neuroscience from Brown University in 2020. After receiving her doctoral degree, she joined the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) as a postdoctoral intramural research trainee in 2020 and 2021 and concurrently became a postdoctoral research associate training fellow at the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). Her research has focused on mRNA transport and local translation in wild type iPSC-derived neurons. Ryan is interested in expanding the understanding of the role of mRNA transport and local translation in the pathogenesis of ADRD to gain greater insight into the mechanisms of ADRD-associated mutations in RNA-binding proteins and their effects on mRNA transport and local translation.

Lauren Screven, Ph.D., joined the IRP as a scientific project manager in CARD, effective March 26, 2023.

Sharon Smith, D.N.P., joined the Office of Clinical Research (OCR) in DEA as chief of the Programmatic Support Branch. In this role, she will oversee and coordinate the development and implementation of strategies to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion in clinical research supported by NIA. She will manage tools that monitor, assess, and report on the performance of NIA’s extramural clinical research portfolio, including Clinical Research Operations and Management System. Smith will also collaborate with NIA OCR’s Regulatory Support Branch to develop and implement training opportunities for staff and grantees and with extramural staff and grantees to monitor and improve clinical study enrollment. Smith has more than 32 years of experience in clinical research and regulatory affairs. She joined NIH in 1991 and worked at NCI for 25 years in a variety of settings while establishing clinical practice and clinical research expertise. Smith spent the last seven years at the National Institute of Mental Health’s OCR, first as a clinical trials program coordinator and Data Safety and Monitoring Board (DSMB) liaison and more recently as the program chief for the Clinical Research, Education, Support and Training Program. Outside of the federal government, Smith has practiced nursing in diverse settings such as oncology, pain management, palliative care, and forensic nursing.

Joni Snyder joined BSR as a clinical trials coordinator and health science administrator in the Clinical Trials Office (CTO). Snyder joined NIA from NHLBI, where she was project officer (PO) of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial, a landmark clinical trial that informed blood pressure treatment guidelines for more than a billion people with hypertension worldwide, and the NHLBI PO for the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)-led Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. In addition, she was the clinical trials specialist for the NHLBI CAPB, working collaboratively with NHLBI POs, principal investigators (PIs), and research staff to develop, coordinate, oversee, and monitor clinical research ranging from observational studies to small, single-site trials, as well as large, complex, multicenter clinical trials. She earned her R.N./B.S.N. from Johns Hopkins University and her master’s degree in English from California State University, Sacramento. At NIA, Snyder serves as the primary BSR lead for over 85 DSMBs, including working closely with NIA’s contracted executive secretary and attending DSMBs as the NIA representative as needed. She also works collaboratively with CTO/BSR staff on all aspects of human subjects research, including policies and oversight, risk assessment, and clinical trials management.

Minkyo Song, M.D., Ph.D., joined the IRP as a tenure-track investigator in the Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences (LEPS). Song will work under the direction of Dr. Lenore Launer, chief of the LEPS, and will oversee the newly established Immunoepidemiology Unit (IU). The IU’s research program aims to understand how variations in immunity among individuals affect the epidemiology of aging and age-related diseases. The interplay of aging with immune alterations, especially autoimmunity, will be investigated using a life course approach. Song earned her M.D. in 2004 and her Ph.D. in medical science in 2015, both from Seoul National University College of Medicine in South Korea. She is board certified in preventive medicine in South Korea after completing a medical residency. After receiving her Ph.D., she worked as a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Preventative Medicine, also at the Seoul National University College of Medicine, before transferring to the Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NCI, in 2016 as a postdoctoral fellow. She became a research fellow there in 2020, where she remained until joining NIA. Her appointment to tenure-track investigator is effective March 12, 2023.

Monica Sullivan joined the IRP as an administrative officer in the Administrative Office, OSD, effective Jan. 15, 2023.

Jade Talmadge joined the IRP as a nurse (research specialist) in the Clinical Research Core, effective Feb. 12, 2023.

Dimitrios Tsitsipatis, Ph.D., joined the IRP as a research fellow (visiting program) in the Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics (LGG), effective Jan. 15, 2023.

Kelli Van Zee joined the IRP as a diversity and inclusion resource specialist, OSD, effective March 26, 2023.

Brooke Vaughn joined DN as an extramural support assistant. She works as part of DN’s travel team and coordinates travel for DN to attend scientific conferences and meetings. Vaughn comes to us from the U.S. Postal Service, where she had experience in organizing travel and meetings, as well as a variety of other activities.

Leslie Vuncannon joined the IRP as an editorial assistant, Translational Gerontology Branch, effective April 9, 2023.

Fei Wang, Ph.D., joined DAB as the chief of the Translational Research Branch. She has been serving the NIH extramural research communities since 2003 and provided leadership in activities at NIH-wide and federal levels. Before joining DAB, her career spanned four other NIH institutes and centers. Wang was the chief of the Biophysics Branch in NIGMS and managed research portfolios in the biophysics of membranes and membrane proteins, and some biotechnologies programs. She was a senior program director at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), where she led a program analyst team and managed research portfolios in the musculoskeletal developmental biology, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine programs, as well as the muscle biophysics and cell biology program in a previous NIAMS position. While serving at the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, she managed research portfolios in the tissue engineering and the biosensors and platform technologies programs. Prior to her NIH extramural research career, she conducted muscle research in the Division of Intramural Research at NHLBI. Wang earned an M.S. in biophysics and a B.S. in engineering physics from Tsinghua University, and a Ph.D. in biophysics from Syracuse University.

Cassie Wheeles joined BSR as a staff assistant, primarily supporting the BSR Office of the Director. She graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), with a bachelor of arts in communications and public relations and has worked most recently as a temporary underwriting specialist for United Educators Insurance in Bethesda, Maryland. Prior to that, she worked as an account manager with OneDigital in Bethesda and as an employment brand assistant with Sandy Spring Bank in Olney, Maryland. During her time at UMCP, Wheeles worked as a marketing intern in the School of Dance and as a summer administrative intern in the NIH Office of the Director.

Jessica Whitaker joined the IRP as an administrative officer in the Administrative Office, OSD, effective March 26, 2023.

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Institute-Sponsored Meetings, Workshops, and Conferences

Past Meetings

2022 NIA Healthy Aging Startup Challenge and Bootcamp — Hybrid (bootcamp concluded January 2023)

The inaugural 2022 NIA Healthy Aging Startup Challenge and Bootcamp was launched by the NIA Office of Strategic Extramural Programs (OSEP) in collaboration with the Office of Special Populations. The Challenge was designed and implemented to foster diversity in aging research and entrepreneurship and to create a pipeline of competitive NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) applications from women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) and socioeconomically disadvantaged small businesses (SDBs). The Challenge directly responds to the SBIR program goal to foster and encourage participation by WOSBs and SDBs in federal research and development and it addresses the 2022 NASEM report, which found persistently low levels of NIH SBIR program participation among women and minorities. Through this Challenge, 20 teams participated in a four-month hybrid entrepreneurial bootcamp through which they received mentorship, entrepreneurial education, and networking opportunities to help develop their innovations. At the conclusion of the bootcamp, teams submitted their final business plans and five teams were selected to each win a $60,000 cash prize. The program, which was completed in January 2023, has already shown very positive outcomes as evident in current participants’ success stories in raising funding and securing partnerships. OSEP is launching the second iteration of this program, the 2023 NIA Start-Up Challenge and Accelerator, to take place between July and December 2023. Applications are due April 20, 2023. For more information, please contact Joy Toliver (joy.toliver@nih.gov) or Joshua Hooks (joshua.hooks@nih.gov).

Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Program Review — Virtual (Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2023)

The annual Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project (ADSP) Program Review was held Jan. 31, Feb. 1, and Feb. 2, 2023. This year’s meeting included the ADSP infrastructure awards. The ADSP External Advisory Board and the advisors for the individual infrastructure components provided comments and recommendations to the respective teams. In turn, the PIs provided responses to the reviews. The response documents were provided back to the respective advisors. All related documents were provided to the ADSP Executive Committee-Cross Consortium Communications and Collaborations Committee. Following discussions, the final documents will be provided to the ADSP investigators. NIA staff were involved in coordinating the program review. For more information, please contact Marilyn Miller (millerm@nia.nih.gov), Alison Yao (alison.yao@nih.gov), or Jennie Larkin (jennie.larkin@nih.gov).

NIA/NIDA Tensure-Track Symposium — Virtual (Feb. 2, 2023)

The jointly sponsored NIA/NIDA Tenure-Track Symposium was held virtually on Feb. 2, 2023. This event showcased presentations by tenure-track investigators from both Institutes as a means of sharing research, bringing together staff from both Institutes, and encouraging collaboration. Investigators in their second year were reviewed by the Institute Promotions and Tenure Committee. For more information, please contact Sarah Lewis (sarah.lewis@nih.gov).

Traffic!! Health Impacts on Aging Workshop — Virtual (Feb. 2-3, 2023)

A recent article in the British Medical Journal identified exposure to noise from road traffic and railway noise to be independently associated with a higher risk of all causes of dementia and dementia subtypes, especially Alzheimer’s disease. This adds to a long list of factors associated with traffic, including particulate matter concentrations, heavy metals exposure, constraints posed by traffic on mobility, and other social determinants of health, which are implicated in older adults’ overall health, hearing health, cognitive health, and well-being. This NIA workshop brought together experts to discuss this topic, the approaches that have been useful for studying the health effects of traffic, the challenges faced by investigators, and research gaps. Workshop materials, including recordings, are available at Workshop: Traffic!! Health Impacts on Aging. For more information, please contact Luci Roberts (roberlu@mail.nih.gov).

Deriving Common Data Elements From Real-World Data for AD/ADRD — Virtual (Feb. 6, 2023)

The Deriving Common Data Elements from Real-World Data for AD/ADRD Workshop took place on Feb. 6, 2023. Organized by BSR, this exploratory discussion aimed to identify ways to derive AD/ADRD Common Data Elements (CDEs) by leveraging real-world data (RWD) sources. The primary focus was on CDE methods that enable harmonization of data from RWD, including health care claims and electronic health records. The expert panel provided recommendations on the use of CDEs for AD/ADRD research, and a suggested framework and opportunities for future research. For more information, please contact Irim Azam (irim.azam@nih.gov) or Partha Bhattacharyya (partha.bhattacharyya@nih.gov).

Landscape of Early (Neuro) Psychological Changes in AD/ADRD — Webinar Series (March 28, 2023)

BSR organized a workshop series on the Landscape of Early Psychological Changes in AD/ADRD, consisting of six webinars. The fifth webinar in this series took place on March 28, 2023, on the topic of clinical and real-world measures. This project addresses gaps in the types of constructs and measures beyond cognition alone that characterize early neuropsychological changes in AD/ADRD, and how to advance research to develop promising measures into usable data points to inform the design, execution, and assessment of the success of prevention trials. The webinars will be publicly posted. For more information, please contact Luke Stoeckel (luke.stoeckel@nih.gov).

Harnessing Computational Approaches to Advance Aging and AD/ADRD Research — Virtual (March 1-2, 2023)

Computational neuroscience (CN) is an interdisciplinary field for development, simulation, and analysis of multiscale models and theories of neural function. CN approaches span levels of analysis from molecules, through cells and networks, up to cognition and behavior. While the origins of CN can be traced back to early algorithmic approaches to modeling neuronal firing, more recent advances in machine learning, artificial intelligence, and availability of large-scale data sets have facilitated an explosion of research across levels of neuroscience and behavior. CN models can integrate data across spatial and temporal scales to allow them to be understood in terms of each other, identify potential latent variables, and make predictions for new experiments. However, the application of this growing field to questions of aging and neurodegenerative disease is still in its infancy, with investigators using computational approaches often working in isolation from those doing more experimental work. This workshop of thought leaders in aging research across experimental and computational perspectives addressed the gaps in our understanding and the opportunities for further exploration of the impact of computational approaches to the study of aging and AD/ADRD. For more information, please contact Matt Sutterer (matt.sutterer@nih.gov and/or 301-496-9350, DN — lead), Leonid Tsap (tsapl@mail.nih.gov and/or 301-496-6402, DAB), Luke Stoeckel (luke.stoeckel@nih.gov and/or 301-496-3136, BSR), or Janine Simmons (simmonsj@mail.nih.gov and/or 301-496-3136, BSR).

The 28th Annual NIA IRP Scientific Retreat — Virtual (March 6-7, 2023)

This event featured large poster sessions, brief talks from IRP scientists, and a keynote address by Dr. Amy Kelley, NIA deputy director. The IRP Retreat serves as a platform to showcase IRP research and bring together staff with the goal of fostering collaboration and promoting the research of IRP trainees. For more information, please contact Sarah Lewis (sarah.lewis@nih.gov).

Mentor Round Table Series — Hybrid (March 22, 2023)

The NIA IRP Training Office held the first session in a new initiative, the Mentor Round Table Series, on March 22, 2023. This series discusses effective communication, providing constructive feedback, navigating difficulties, building a strong mentor-mentee relationship, and the importance of individual responsibilities within that relationship. Each session will feature internal IRP colleagues who exemplify successful mentoring relationships. Our first session featured three members of the LGG, Translational Senescence Unit: Myriam Gorospe, Ph.D.; Ali Herman, Ph.D.; and Charnae Henry Smith, B.S. Future sessions will be held in May, September, and November. For more information, please contact Taya Dunn (dunnt@grc.nia.nih.gov).

Summit on Dementia Care, Services, and Supports for Persons Living With Dementia and Caregivers — Virtual (March 20-22, 2023)

The 2023 National Research Summit on Care, Services, and Supports for Persons Living With Dementia and Their Care Partners/Caregivers was conducted March 20-22, 2023. The purpose of the Summit was to identify research gaps and opportunities to improve the care, services, and support of persons with dementia and their caregivers. The meetings were organized by BSR and were built upon progress of previous Summits to review research advances, highlight innovative and promising research, and identify remaining unmet research needs. The Summit included input from the research community, persons living with dementia (PLWD) and their care partners, those who provide health care or services and supports to PLWD, and other stakeholders. For information, please contact Elena Fazio (elena.fazio@nih.gov) or Nicole Kidwiler (nicole.kidwiler@nih.gov).

Data Sharing and Archiving for Social and Behavioral Science Research — Virtual (March 23-24, 2023)

BSR organized a two-day virtual workshop on March 23 and 24, 2023, to explore challenges, best practices, and future directions in data sharing and data archiving. Input was sought from data repository managers, industry leaders, policymakers, and researchers across diverse scientific fields and disciplines. Workshop sessions focused on 1) developing and evaluating data management and sharing plans across a range of scientific disciplines and data types, 2) specific challenges associated with sharing data from human participants, 3) best practices and future needs in data archiving, and 4) challenges and considerations for sharing data from special populations. Workshop participants highlighted gaps and opportunities to standardize informed consent policies and practices to maximize data sharing while protecting the privacy of human research participants. For more information, please contact James McNally (james.mcnally2@nih.gov), Rebecca Krupenevich (rebecca.krupenevich@nih.gov), or Partha Bhattacharyya (partha.bhattacharyya@nih.gov).

Emotional Well-Being High-Priority Research Networks: Investigator Annual Meeting — Hybrid (March 27, 2023)

The annual meeting of investigators from the six Emotional Well Being Networks, funded by NIA, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, and the NIH Office of Disease Prevention took place on March 27, 2023. The meeting included a keynote presentation from Dr. Tyler VanderWeele, sessions on the impact of individual and Network of Networks’ activities to date, a review of pilot studies funded through the networks, and breakout groups to consider future challenges and best approaches for continuing to move the field forward. For more information, please contact Liz Necka (liz.necka@nih.gov) or Janine Simmons (simmonsj@mail.nih.gov).

Nasem Board on Health Care Services Spring Meeting, Seminar on Learning From History: Strengthening the Design of AD/ADRD Pragmatic Clinical Studies — Hybrid: Washington, D.C. (April 3, 2023)

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Board on Health Care Services Spring Meeting was conducted on April 3, 2023, and included a BSR-sponsored seminar on the topic of Learning from History: Strengthening the Design of AD/ADRD Pragmatic Clinical Studies. The goal of this half-day meeting was to examine how primary care can work to improve pragmatic clinical studies related to diagnosis of AD/ADRD and evidence generation on best practices in routine care for PLWD. Interest was placed on overcoming sources of bias and inadequate power within these trials. The workshop was conducted based on a gap in the literature regarding screening for elder abuse in primary care and a lack of evidence on primary care screening for elder abuse in adults with diagnosed AD/ADRD. Another focus was to better understand the role of primary care in caring for those with AD/ADRD and how to facilitate advanced care planning in the primary care setting. Discussions also surrounded the suggestion of having primary care serve as the site for medication management services for those with AD/ADRD. In this expert meeting, the Board considered the role of primary care providers in addressing these critical issues. For more information, please contact Theresa Kim (theresa.kim@nih.gov), Priscilla Novak (priscilla.novak@nih.gov), or Charlie Le (charlie.le@nih.gov).

Midlife Stress and the Hallmarks of Aging Workshop — Virtual (April 11, 2023)

The Midlife in the United States study revealed that middle-aged adults in today’s society report more stress in their lives than their younger and older peers, resulting in a need to understand the impacts of stress on aging in this population. In fact, the impact of midlife stressors on later life health was identified by the National Advisory Council on Aging as one of the top scientific priority areas for DAB in the next five years (see NIA DAB Review Committee Report, May 2022 (PDF, 724K), Recommendation 1D. Although studies conducted in human populations have shed some light on the association between exposure to midlife stress and alterations in the hallmarks of aging, many questions still remain. The use of laboratory animals could model and indicate metrics to understand biological features that could help answer these questions, as it would allow for the analysis of the relationships between the hallmarks of aging and midlife stress in controlled environments. The use of shorter-lived laboratory, wild, or domesticated animals could also enable longitudinal studies to be carried out until natural death to measure the subsequent impact of these stress-induced alterations on lifespan and health metrics. The purpose of this workshop was to bring together researchers who study the impacts of stress on aging in human populations with experts in animal models of stress and/or aging to discuss outstanding questions about the impact of midlife stress on the hallmarks of aging and the animal models that could be used to address them. Feedback from this workshop will inform future research opportunities supported by DAB. For more information, please contact Jennifer Fox (jennifer.fox@nih.gov and/or 301-496-6402).

Resilience and Aging — Virtual (April 11, 2023)

Physical resilience declines with age, as revealed by the decrease in the ability of an organism’s molecular, cellular, and systemic levels to return to homeostasis after exposure to a stressor. Waning resilience may be a determinant or the consequence of the aging process, or both. Subtle deterioration in resilience precedes more obvious signs of waning health and vigor; therefore robust measures of resilience can be predictive of later life health. Studies carried out by the DAB-supported Resilience Assay Consortium have provided a strong scientific foundation for the hypothesis that the fundamental biological mechanisms of aging may be intrinsically connected with organismal resilience. The purpose of this workshop was to bring together experts in resilience and aging biology to explore the mechanistic relationship between resilience and fundamental aging processes and how those interventions that impact longevity impact resilience in its various types or levels. For more information, please contact Francesca Macchiarini (Francesca.macchiarini@nih.gov and/or 301-402-7749).

The Fourth Summit: Geroscience for the Next Generation — Hybrid (April 24-26, 2023)

The Trans-NIH Geroscience Interest Group developed this Fourth Geroscience Summit as a way to strengthen the links between the biology of aging and clinical practice to better achieve the goal of geroscience: promoting a state of health at any age, but particularly in old age when the mechansims of resilience start to fade. The objectives of the Fourth Geroscience Summit included: (1) Emphasize the need to further develop and implement geroscience while considering the breadth and heterogeneity of physiology among individuals across all populations; (2) consider how and whether multimorbidity and geriatric syndromes, which are important for the implementation of geroscience in clinical practice, could be implemented in research on the biology of aging; (3) review metrics to assess health as fundamental to the understanding of “biological age” in contrast to “chronological age” as a means to develop a common language between research in basic biology and implementation of geroscience in clinical care; (4) review and discuss new attempts to model aging through mathematical and artificial intelligence approaches, and what these new approaches add to our understanding of aging and their potential impact on development of biomarkers for aging; (5) examine the importance of inclusive geroscience in clinical trials, medical training, and practice; and (6) find language that might bridge gaps between research on the biological mechanisms of aging and clinical practice. For more information, please contact Ronald Kohanski (kohanskir@mail.nih.gov and/or 301-496-6402) or Siobhan Addie (Siobhan.addie@nih.gov and/or, 301-827-6099).

Inflammaging Workshop — Baltimore (May 2, 2023)

The NIA IRP hosted the hybrid Inflammaging Workshop on May 2, 2023, at the BRC in Baltimore. This event featured presentations from experts in the field and aimed to explore the source of age-associated inflammation and distinct differences between acute and chronic inflammation. The goal of this forum is to draw on the expertise and vision of participants to clearly identify what is known in this important area of aging research, to articulate gaps in our knowledge, and to prioritize research goals and a collaborative means of achieving them. For more information, please contact Sarah Lewis (sarah.lewis@nih.gov).

ADSP Functional Genomics Consortium (Fungen-Ad) 2nd Annual Program Meeting — Houston (May 2-3, 2023)

The ADSP Functional Genomics Consortium (FunGen-AD) was established in August 2021 to address the challenge of functional interpretation of AD genetic variants. The goal of the FunGen-AD consortium is to apply cutting-edge genomics technologies and high-throughput genetic screening to characterize the functional impacts underlying the genetic basis of AD/ADRD and to enable the discovery of genetics-guided targets for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of AD/ADRD. The FunGen-AD consortium 2nd Annual Program Meeting was held May 2-3, 2023, at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. The goal of this meeting was to share updates and progress on FunGen projects, facilitate collaboration, and enhance alignment across the consortium. This meeting provides a forum for the External Advisory Board members to give advice and make recommendations on the priorities and future directions of the consortium. NIA staff were involved in coordinating the program review. For more information, please contact Alison Yao (alison.yao@nih.gov).

Heterogeneity and Successful Aging — Virtual (May 8-9, 2023)

The purpose of this workshop was to discuss current and new approaches to investigate successful aging, including experimental and statistical methods/models, ultimately deepening our understanding of the drivers of successful/unsuccessful aging, aiding in the search for biomarkers, and informing translational research. The main objectives of this workshop were: 1) To gather background information on heterogeneity in aging mammalian cohorts and on strategies to investigate phenotypes that are associated/predictive of successful/unsuccessful aging and prolonged healthy lifespan; 2) to identify the challenges and opportunities posed by heterogeneity in aging mammalian cohorts; and 3) to discuss how heterogeneity in mammalian cohorts can be harnessed to understand the factors that determine successful aging, prolonged health, and organ/tissue integrity and functionality (lifespan versus healthspan). For more information, please contact Tiziana Cogliati (Tiziana.cogliati@nih.gov and/or 301-402-2178).

NIH Workshop on “Advances in Aging, Immunity, and Chronic Inflammatory Diseases” — Bethesda, Maryland (May 9-10, 2023)

This workshop was a partnership between NIA and NIAID and focused on recent advances (biological and technological) in our knowledge of immunosenescence, aging, and their impact on chronic disease development. The past few years have seen major advances in our knowledge of immune function during aging, and improved methods to define immunological states. Notably, advances in single cell technologies have the potential to permit interrogation of metabolic and phenotypic variation of leukocytes, including rare tissue resident populations, and circadian gene regulation in macrophages. The workshop highlighted recent advances, clarified mechanisms involved in accelerated development of immune aging and chronic diseases, and promoted collaboration between investigators. For more information, please contact co-chair Mulualem Tilahun (Mulualem.tilahun@nih.gov and/or 301-496-6402, DAB).

NIA-Sponsored Symposium, “Mucosal Immunity, Microbiome, and Aging,” at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Immunology — Washington, D.C. (May 12, 2023)

This NIA-sponsored symposium was held during the 2023 American Association of Immunologists’ annual meeting, May 11-15, 2023, in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the symposium was to highlight recent advances in aging and immunity research at a national meeting. The speakers gave a 20-minute presentation and 10-minute Q&A on their recent research findings on mucosal immunity and/or microbiome with an emphasis on how it relates to aging. By highlighting research in the areas of immunity, microbiome, and aging, other investigators were made aware of how they might expand their research into the aging field. The symposium encouraged new investigations and served to inform immunologists of recent research on immunology and aging. For more information, please contact Mulualem Tilahun (Mulualem.tilahun@nih.gov and/or 301-496-6402).

NASEM Committee on Population (CPOP) Spring Meeting on Kinlessness, Living Alone, and Consequences for Health and Well-Being at Older Ages: U.S. and International Perspectives — Hybrid: Washington, D.C. (May 15, 2023)

Fertility decline, increasing non-marriage, and differential changes in life expectancy by gender have led to an increasing share of the older population around the world who have no kin support. Kinlessness in older adulthood may occur through diverse paths, but mainly includes childlessness due to singlehood (i.e., no union of any kind) or childlessness in a union followed by separation or (perhaps more commonly) widowhood. Paths to living alone are somewhat more complex and driven by additional factors, such as migration, residential mobility, and territorial organization (e.g., type of housing stock and city form). The pathways that lead individuals into these different states may not only be heterogenous and vary between contexts, but the impacts of kinlessness and living alone themselves may be heterogeneous, depending on factors such as proximity to (other) relatives and friends and broader forms of social and institutional connectedness and support, including public policies. The half-day seminar identified some of the key research and data questions and priorities regarding definitions and estimates of kinlessness and living alone, and population-level data sources (e.g., HRS, HRS International studies, NHATS), data gaps, and measurement needs; mechanisms through which individuals end up becoming kinless or living alone; positive and negative consequences of these statuses for health and well-being; and cross-national variation in social contexts and public policies that moderate the impact of kinlessness on health outcomes. For more information, please contact Elena Fazio (elena.fazio@nih.gov), Emerald Nguyen (emerald.nguyen@nih.gov), or Charlie Le (charlie.le@nih.gov).

Future Meetings

Clinical Detection of Limbic-Predominant Age-Related TDP-43 Encephalopathy (LATE) Meeting — Bethesda, Maryland (May 25-26, 2023)

NIA will host a two-day hybrid meeting on the clinical detection of LATE. This workshop will examine the gaps and opportunities related to the clinical detection of LATE, both on its own and in conjunction with AD/ADRD. A major focus of the meeting will be to discuss the latest knowledge on the clinical manifestations of LATE and biomarkers for its detection. In light of emerging AD therapeutics, distinguishing LATE from AD during life is one of the topics that will be discussed during this open workshop. This NIA-sponsored hybrid meeting will convene leaders from academia, nonprofit organizations, and program staff from NIA and NINDS. For more information about the LATE meeting, please contact Nina Silverberg (silverbergn@mail.nih.gov).

Aging and Heterogeneity — Virtual (May 30, 2023)

The NIA IRP will host a virtual ‘mini symposium’ on Aging and Heterogeneity on May 30, 2023. The objective of this workshop is to bring together experts in the field to assess heterogeneity as it relates to aging and what is known and what needs to be done to advance this area of research. For more information, please contact Sarah Lewis (sarah.lewis@nih.gov).

NASEM Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences Spring Meeting: Seminar on Expectations in Aging — Virtual (May 31, 2023)

The NASEM Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences Spring 2023 meeting will include a BSR-sponsored seminar exploring the impact of expectations and expectancy effects on health, cognition, and well-being in aging. Speakers will cover topics including: the mechanisms of action by which expectations impact health across the lifespan; whether expectations might be valid targets for behavioral interventions to promote healthy aging; and how and when behavioral interventions designed to create, modify, or change expectations might be most effective. Throughout the seminar, discussions will consider how expectations about aging arise; the impact of social influence, biases, and stereotypes; which characteristics of expectations could be most malleable and/or valid for changing health in aging; and the bioethical implications of intervening to modify expectations. For more information, please contact Janine Simmons (simmonsj@mail.nih.gov) or Allie Walker (allie.walker@nih.gov).

Effects of the Environment on the Physical and Cognitive Function of Older Persons — Virtual (June 16, 2023)

The NIA IRP will host a virtual workshop titled Effects of the Environment on the Physical and Cognitive Function of Older Persons in June 2023. This workshop will feature talks from experts in this research area, including NIA IRP tenure track investigators and senior investigators as well as speakers from the extramural community. For more information, please contact Sarah Lewis (sarah.lewis@nih.gov).

NASEM CPOP Workshop on Aging in Place: Physical Environment and Dementia-Friendly Communities — Washington, D.C. (Spring/Summer 2023)

BSR is sponsoring NASEM to organize and execute a public workshop that will bring together an interdisciplinary group of experts to discuss aging in place for people living with dementia in the United States. The workshop will draw on lessons and evidence from domestic and international research to: identify current research and future research needs on individual‐level, structural, and environmental factors that should be considered in the development of programs supporting aging in place for people living with dementia; discuss research approaches and needs to support aging in place of persons living with dementia (and their caregivers) from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds and in different geographic contexts; and discuss components of existing conceptual models and measurements that can inform conceptual approaches for research on aging in place for people living with dementia. A Proceedings of the Workshop, prepared by NASEM, that summarizes the presentations and discussions will be posted on the NIA website. For more information, please contact Elena Fazio (Elena.Fazio@nih.gov), Priscilla Novak (priscilla.novak@nih.gov), or Nicole Kidwiler (nicole.kidwiler@nih.gov).

The Role of the Behavioral and Social Sciences in the Geroscience Agenda — Virtual (Spring/Summer 2023)

This meeting is being organized jointly by DAB and BSR. A geroscience research agenda informed by the behavioral and social sciences will address disparities in the aging process driven by behavioral patterns and social environmental exposures and aid in the identification of interventions with the potential to improve function and healthspan and reduce morbidity among all population subgroups in our society. The forthcoming workshop will be the second meeting of the series. The first workshop occurred on Oct. 31, 2022, on the topic of Bridging Biological and Social Hallmarks of Aging and focused on measurement and “functional motifs” of aging. The long-term goal of this workshop series is to identify research gaps and opportunities for an expanded geroscience agenda that incorporates a lifespan developmental perspective, inclusion of behavioral and social drivers of aging processes that account for disparities in the aging process, and valid and reliable assessments of the fundamental processes of biological aging in humans. For more information, please contact Lis Nielsen (Lis.Nielsen@nih.gov) or Ron Kohanski (Ron.Kohanski@nih.gov).

NASEM Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) Spring Meeting on Examining the Effect of Interviewers on Longitudinal Survey Response Rates and Approaches To Improve the Hiring and Retention of High-Quality Interviewers — Virtual (Summer 2023)

This half-day expert meeting sponsored by BSR, in coordination with CNSTAT staff, will provide an overview of relevant research findings on the impact of interviewers on response rates in longitudinal surveys. In addition, the meeting will include discussion of what is known about different approaches to enhance interviewer skills and training to create a more professional corps of interviewers. Meeting participants will include experts who do research in this domain and/or manage field interviewing workforces to discuss their research and best practices and the potential implications for NIA longitudinal studies. For more information, please contact John Phillips (john.phillips@nih.gov), Charlie Le (charlie.le@nih.gov), or Kait Lee (kaitlyn.lee@nih.gov).

Oral Health and AD/ADRD Workshop — Virtual (June 13-14, 2023)

DN will host a workshop on Oral Health and AD/ADRD. Recent research has suggested an association between AD and oral health. Several studies have found oral disease to be a risk factor for AD/ADRD. However, the mechanism or mechanisms underlying such associations have remained unclear. Several studies have proposed indirect links (e.g., inflammation, bacteria) between AD and oral diseases. Understanding the relationship between AD/ADRD and oral health and diseases may offer novel approaches for the prevention or delay of AD/ADRD and possible opportunities to repurpose existing preventive treatments for oral diseases for AD/ADRD. The goal of this two-day workshop is to identify research gaps, opportunities, and challenges; inform scientific priorities; and determine possible future directions for research in this area. The workshop will cover several areas including: 1) oral health in older adults; 2) epidemiology of oral health and AD/ADRD; 3) biology, mechanisms, oral microbiome and AD/ADRD; and 4) global perspectives on oral health and AD/ADRD. For more information, please contact Maryam Ghaleh (maryam.ghaleh@nih.gov), Dallas Anderson (andersda@nia.nih.gov), Damali Martin (martinda@mail.nih.gov), Camille Pottinger (pottingerca@mail.nih.gov), Mack Mackiewicz (miroslaw.mackiewicz@nih.gov), or Maja Maric (maricm@mail.nih.gov).

Synthetic Biology for Aging Research — Virtual (June 14-15, 2023)

This workshop aims to meld tools of synthetic biology with research in biology of aging for the identification and manipulation of gene regulatory and signaling networks underlying aging biology. This workshop will help define goals and implementation options for synthetic biology to improve our understanding of aging biology and explore mechanisms to impact aging processes (molecular) and aging outcomes (physiology). Among the options to explore are building synthetic regulatory circuits to: create novel clocks to measure rates of aging, alter hallmarks of aging (globally or with cell-lineage specificity), and accelerate or decelerate rates of aging. For more information, please contact Ronald Kohanski (kohanskir@mail.nih.gov and/or 301-496-6402) or Raquel Sitcheran (Raquel.Sitcheran@nih.gov and/or 301-555-1234).

The 17th Annual Division of Aging Biology New Investigators Forum (DABNIF) — Bethesda, Maryland (June 27-28, 2023)

The DAB New Investigators Forum (DABNIF) is a long-standing yearly event. It brings together new DAB awardees in the spring of the year following their award to meet and interact with NIA program and review staff as well as to network with one other. These are investigators at an early stage of their research careers and who are new to funding by DAB. The overarching goal of the meeting is to encourage continued success for the new PIs in the field of aging as well as to encourage interactions and collaborations. Specifically, DABNIF provides the participating PIs an opportunity to get to know DAB and DEA staff in person, learn about review and grant administration and what NIA-specific grant mechanisms are available, and network with colleagues at a similar stage of their careers. To this end, each PI presents a poster describing the planned research (or results to date) and gives an “elevator speech” short talk where they introduce themselves and briefly talk about their research interests and career goals. In addition to these activities, the forum’s agenda includes a keynote presentation by an expert in the area of aging and talks by DAB staff and NIA leadership on issues such as scope of the science supported by DAB, funding mechanisms, use of the Guide, navigating the NIA website, grant review issues, and writing successful grant applications. Q&A opportunities are provided throughout the program. As a result of past meetings, we have found that the PIs have indeed set up new collaborations and increased their interactions with DAB staff. They are also much more likely to keep DAB staff informed on their new publications and progress. The format of the forum reflects past years’ anonymous participant evaluation and feedback. The forum will be held June 27-28, 2023, for one and a half days in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information, please contact Manuel Moro (morom@mail.nih.gov and/or 401-496-6402).

RNA Editing and Modification in Aging and Longevity — Bethesda, Maryland (July 26, 2023)

The aging process, like any other biological process, involves a general flow of genetic information in the cell from DNA to RNA to protein. Recent studies have shown that RNAs can be edited enzymatically to modify their sequences. The transcribed RNAs often have multiple options to alternatively splice into different forms of functional mRNAs. Furthermore, more than 160 distinct post-transcriptional chemical modifications, termed the “epitranscriptome,” have been identified in cellular RNAs, affecting their functions in various ways. These RNA modifications and the enzymes and regulators involved have revealed more complexity in the regulation of cellular functions. RNA editing, alternative splicing, and RNA modification have all been shown to be involved in the regulation of aging and longevity, although a mechanistic understanding of these phenomena is still largely unknown. This workshop will evaluate this research area, with a focus on the technologies and the relevance to aging and longevity. The goals of this workshop are to evaluate the status of the field, to define future directions, to evaluate critical needs, and to outline opportunities and priorities to better understand the general mechanisms of aging biology. For more information, please contact Max Guo (qmguo@nia.nih.gov and/or 301-402-7747) or Tiziana Cogliati (Tiziana.cogliati@nih.gov and/or 301-402-2178).

Role of Alcohol Misuse in the Onset and Progression of AD/ADRD — Hybrid: Bethesda, Maryland (July 26-27, 2023)

The goal of this workshop, sponsored jointly by NIA and NIAAA, is to discuss the role of alcohol misuse in the onset and progression of AD/ADRD. This workshop will discuss a lifespan perspective of prenatal, adolescent, and late-life alcohol exposure on the development of AD/ADRD. We will present both preclinical and clinical evidence of how chronic heavy alcohol exposure may intersect with pathways of developing AD/ADRD and exacerbate dementias. The workshop, built upon the previous request for applications and administrative supplements over the past several years, will facilitate identifying research gaps and challenges to advance our understanding of the relationship between alcohol misuse and dementias. The workshop will be held as a hybrid meeting, July 26-27, 2023. For more information, please contact Lisa Opanashuk (lisa.opanashuk@nih.gov).

Caenorhabditis Intervention Testing Program (CITP) Grantee Meeting — Bethesda, Maryland (Aug. 29, 2023)

This is the annual meeting for the CITP. This year’s meeting intends to discuss the progress and accomplishments of the CITP and plan for the next year. The information and issues discussed at the meeting will help inform NIA leadership and the CITP Steering Committee about the CITP. An additional objective of this workshop is to address the difficulties inherent in developing reproducibility, including the levels of detail required to achieve this important outcome. The long-term goal of the CITP also will be discussed at this meeting among CITP PIs and NIA staff. This will be a one-day, NIA-sponsored, in-person meeting with approximately six invited participants (the three PIs and at least one staff member in the labs funded in the CITP). For more information, please contact Jennifer Fox (jennifer.fox@nih.gov and/or 301-496-6402) or Tiziana Cogliati (Tiziana.cogliati@nih.gov and/or 301-402-2178).

Impacts of Extreme Weather Conditions and Environmental Exposures on Older Adult Health — Virtual (Summer/Fall 2023)

This virtual two-day workshop will formulate a comprehensive research agenda for studying the impacts of climate change and extreme weather on older adult health and well-being by identifying future research directions and data infrastructure enhancements to NIA-supported studies. The workshop sessions will focus on three priority topic areas: (1) Short- and long-term health impacts of climate change and extreme weather on midlife and older adult health and well-being. These include behavioral and social pathways linking climate exposures to health and well-being; comparisons of exposures and health effects in the United States and internationally; associations between climate exposure and risk of AD/ADRD; and nationally representative measures of climate exposures at various periodicities and scales. (2) Climate-related vulnerabilities associated with inequities in mid- and later-life health and well-being. These include forms of social vulnerability (e.g., social isolation, rurality) and economic vulnerability (e.g., homes in flood-prone areas) that interact with or are compounded by extreme weather events, and approaches for measuring forms of vulnerability. (3) Protection, adaptation, and mitigation factors to reduce the impacts of climate exposure on older adult health and well-being. These include elements of home (e.g., air conditioning) and community (e.g., green space) built environments that can be protective or adaptive; behaviors amenable to intervention for preparedness, resilience, and recovery; and community-based services and health care systems adaptation and mitigation strategies. For more information, please contact Emerald Nguyen (emerald.nguyen@nih.gov) or Kait Lee (kaitlyn.lee@nih.gov).

Future of Population-Based Studies in AD/ADRD Neuroscience Research Workshop — Hybrid: Bethesda, Maryland (Sept. 5-6, 2023)

Currently, approximately 6.5 million Americans age 65 years and older have AD/ADRD, with a projected increase to 13.8 million by 2060. Increase in the prevalence of AD/ADRD will most likely occur because the U.S. older population is growing. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. population age 65 years and older was estimated to be over 49 million in 2016, and this population will experience further expansion over the next few decades. By 2034, older adults will outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history and will reach 95 million by 2060. In the coming decades of the 21st century, the demographic and cultural transformation in the United States will unfold as the growth of racially and ethnically diverse populations among U.S. seniors will outpace the growth of their non-Hispanic White counterparts and will comprise 42% of the older U.S. populations. The implications for AD/ADRD will be significant, given current race/ethnic disparities for these diseases. Furthermore, these disparities go beyond race and ethnicity as there are other populations (immigrants including refugees, elderly, populations defined by geographic location, and sexual orientation) whose representation is growing in the U.S. that may suffer disproportionately from AD/ADRD and are currently understudied. Facing an ongoing and impending demographic transformation, DN will sponsor a two-day hybrid workshop on the Future of Population-Based Studies in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias. The objectives will be to: 1) foster the development of research collaborations among investigators involved in research of population-based AD/ADRD studies; 2) identify and leverage resources available to enhance AD/ADRD population-based research; 3) identify avenues to enhance existing data and supplement the collection of new data for AD/ADRD population-based research; and 4) encourage ongoing discussions regarding the development of scientific priorities focused on informing future precision-based intervention and prevention strategies for AD/ADRD among U.S. populations. For more information, please contact Maryam Ghaleh (maryam.ghaleh@nih.gov), Dallas Anderson (andersda@nia.nih.gov), Damali Martin (martinda@mail.nih.gov), Camille Pottinger (pottingerca@mail.nih.gov), Richard Kwok (richard.kwok@nih.gov), or Tayona Pearson (tayona.pearson@nih.gov).

NASEM CPOP Workshop on Developing an Agenda for Population Aging and Social Research in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICS) — Washington, D.C. (Sept. 7-8, 2023)

BSR is sponsoring the NASEM CPOP to organize and execute a public workshop on developing an agenda for population aging and social research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The workshop is scheduled for Sept. 7 and 8 and will identify research needs related to the impacts of inequality, environmental exposure, and family changes on the health and well-being of older populations in LMICs, with an emphasis on how existing data resources may be leveraged to address these topics. In addition, participants will discuss how country-specific research in LMICs can create a better understanding of how different social environments and public policies influence health outcomes related to aging; and how findings from country-specific LMIC research provide lessons that can be used in other settings, including the United States. In addition, panelists will identify new conceptual, theoretical, methodological, and/or data investments that are needed to move from purely descriptive cross-national analyses to more causal analyses that create a better understanding of how inequality, environmental exposures, and changing family structures impact health and well-being at older ages in LMICs. After the workshop, a Proceedings of the Workshop summarizing the presentations and discussions at the workshop will be prepared by a designated rapporteur in accordance with NASEM institutional guidelines. For more information, please contact Minki Chatterji (Minki.Chatterji@nih.gov) or Charlie Le (Charlie.Le@nih.gov).

Optimizing Dietary Amino Acid Intake to Improve Human Health and Reduce the Burden of Age-Related Disease — Bethesda, Maryland (Sept. 7-8, 2023)

The primary aim of the proposed workshop is to bring together experts in the fields of sulfur amino acid restriction, branched-chain amino acid restriction, and ketogenic amino acids supplementation and aging for in-depth discussion on preclinical animal studies, epidemiological studies of human diet and health, and small-scale human clinical trials. While identifying gaps and opportunities to advance these research topics, the proposed workshop is to explore to what extent such interventions improve healthspan in the context of normal aging. For more information, please contact Yih-Woei Fridell, (friedellyc@mail.nih.gov and/or 301-496-7847).

Minority Health and Health Disparities in Neuroscience Webinar Series — Virtual (quarterly every year; next event on Sept. 12, 2023)

DN works to strengthen knowledge and understanding of aging and AD/ADRD in minority and health disparity populations to achieve health equity. To this end, DN is hosting a new webinar series, Minority Health and Health Disparities Research in Neuroscience, to provide an opportunity for grantees to share research advances and lessons learned regarding challenges and opportunities in the field. The next webinar will be on Sept. 12, and Dr. Li-San Wang, University of Pennsylvania, will present on the Asian Cohort for Alzheimer’s Disease. For more information, please contact Dallas Anderson (andersda@nia.nih.gov), Damali Martin (martinda@mail.nih.gov), Camille Pottinger (pottingerca@mail.nih.gov), and Tayona Pearson (tayona.pearson@nih.gov).

Understanding Cerebellar Contributions to Cognitive and Affective Functions in Aging and AD/ADRD — Bethesda, Maryland (Sept. 12-13, 2023)

While the cerebellum has traditionally been associated with motor functions, a growing body of work has identified a contributing role for the cerebellum in several cognitive and affective functions. Despite known changes in aging with respect to both cognition and motor performance, most aging work up to this point has focused on cerebral cortex changes. The limited work that has been done on the aging cerebellum has indicated reductions in cerebellar volume and changes in connectivity in both healthy aging as well as mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. However, several important questions remain unanswered, such as the contributions of the cerebellum to observed neurobiology and symptoms of AD/ADRD, including changes in affect, and whether the cerebellum may play a role in the development or maintenance of cognitive reserve. This NIA-sponsored one-and-a-half-day workshop will convene leaders in the field of cerebellar research and feature a series of presentations and discussions around the following topics as they pertain to aging and AD/ADRD as well as non-motor cerebellar functions more broadly: (1) contributions of the cerebellum to cognitive functions in the context of healthy aging, neurodegenerative disorders like AD/ADRD, and neuropsychiatric disorders that emerge in adulthood or later in life; (2) role of the cerebellum in development or maintenance of cognitive reserve; (3) contributions of the cerebellum to affective and social functions; and (4) evidence for non-motor functions of the cerebellum derived from clinical studies as well as work in animal models. For additional information, please contact Matt Sutterer (matt.sutterer@nih.gov) or Coryse St. Hillaire-Clarke (coryse.sthillaire-clarke@nih.gov).

NIA/NIDA Special Lecture Series — Baltimore (Sept. 13, 2023)

The NIA/NIDA Special Lecture Series will be held on Sept. 13, 2023, at the Biomedical Research Center and will feature a keynote address from Neil Seeman, founder and chairman of RIWI, an international data firm. For more information, please contact Sarah Lewis (sarah.lewis@nih.gov).

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Alzheimers.gov Health Information Articles

Inside NIA Blog

Print Publications and PDFs

Media & Outreach

NIH News Releases

Web Statements and Announcements

Outreach

Infographics, Videos, and Graphics

Social Media

Email List Managers

OCPL sent 76 separate messages from Dec. 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023, to the following lists:

  • Healthy Aging Highlights: 62,833 subscribers
  • Alzheimers.gov Highlights: 36,629 subscribers
  • Recruitment Resources for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Clinical Trials: 5,922 subscribers
  • Caregiving Tips and Resources: 21,077 subscribers
  • Inside NIA Blog: 20,817 subscribers
  • NIA Funding Opportunities for Researchers: 15,068 subscribers
  • Consejos para el Envejecimiento Saludable (Spanish Healthy Aging Tips): 4,556 subscribers

Meetings

Conferences, Exhibits, and Events

Meetings with Stakeholders

  • NIA-VA Partnership Meeting, Jan. 9, 2023 — Dr. Richard Hodes and Dr. Amy Kelley, along with NIA staff, convened with Veterans Affairs (VA) leaders to discuss new and ongoing collaborations between NIA and VA, as well as programmatic updates from the two groups.
  • Endocrine Society, Jan. 10, 2023 – Hodes, Kelley, and NIA staff met with representatives of the Endocrine Society, discussing NIA administrative updates and research advancements, as well as research priorities put forth by the Endocrine Society.
  • National Advisory Environmental Health Sciences Council Meeting, Feb. 22, 2023 — Hodes delivered a presentation on environmental health and aging to the National Advisory Environmental Health Sciences Council, the advisory council of NIH’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
  • Patient Quality of Life Coalition and the National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care, Feb. 28, 2023 — Hodes, Kelley, and NIA senior staff met with representatives of the Patient Quality of Life Coalition and the National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care, discussing NIA updates on palliative care, as well as recent work of the Patient Quality of Life Coalition and the National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care.
  • NIA Workshop, “Harnessing Computational Approaches to Advance Aging and AD/ADRD Research,” March 1-2, 2023 — Kelley provided welcoming remarks for the workshop, highlighting the unique applicability of computational tools in the context of aging and AD/ADRD research.
  • NIH Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council Meeting, March 2, 2023 — Hodes provided remarks on the advancement of HIV research at NIA, followed by additional remarks on relevant NIA programming and funding opportunities from Dr. Basil Eldadah of NIA’s Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology.
  • Artificial Intelligence Technology Collaboratories Conference, March 7, 2023 — Hodes delivered opening remarks for the conference, highlighting the importance of empowering innovation in aging and AD/ADRD research.
  • National Research Summit on Care, Services, and Supports for Persons With Dementia and Their Caregivers, March 20-22, 2023 — Kelley provided opening remarks for the conference, emphasizing its goal of identifying research gaps and opportunities to improve care for individuals living with dementia and their care partners.
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Foundation, March 30, 2023 — Hodes, Kelley, and NIA staff met with representatives of the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Foundation, discussing NIA administrative updates and current research, as well as research priorities conveyed by the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Foundation.
  • IMPACT Collaboratory Annual Business Meeting and Scientific Conference, April 11-13, 2023 — Kelley delivered opening remarks for the IMPACT Collaboratory’s Annual Business Meeting and Scientific Conference, reflecting on the IMPACT Collaboratory’s role as a national resource for the conduct of pragmatic clinical trials embedded within health care systems for people living with dementia and their care partners.
  • NIH Geroscience Summit: Fourth Summit, Geroscience for the Next Generation, April 24-26, 2023 — Hodes provided opening remarks for the summit.
  • Older Americans Independence Centers (OAIC) National Annual Meeting, April 27-28, 2023 — Kelley delivered welcoming remarks for the OAIC Annual Meeting.

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New Notices and Initiatives Relevant to the National Institute on Aging

For “Notices” and “Research Initiatives” with NIA’s participation or interest, please visit these two websites: NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts and How to Find NIA Funding Opportunities.

nia.nih.gov

An official website of the National Institutes of Health