Join NIA at GSA!
Deputy Director,
Office of the Director (OD).
We’re excited to be attending this meeting because it gives us here at NIA a chance to connect and re-connect with current and potential grantees. We’re hoping to see many of you at the sessions featuring NIA staff, who will be talking about research funded and conducted by NIA, as well as funding opportunities and applying for grants. And we look forward to your visiting the NIA exhibit booth to catch up on research resource information and materials for patients and providers.
Please add these sessions to your schedule:
Thursday, November 19
8:30 – 10 a.m. Minority Issues in Gerontology Committee Grants Assistance Workshop: Grants 101 – Oceanic I
In this symposium, Adrienne Aiken-Morgan, Candace Brown, and Roland Thorpe will explain the different types and purposes of NIA grant mechanisms, help attendees understand how their research ideas fit NIA’s goals and vision; and discuss increasing the fundability of minority aging research projects. Carl Hill will describe how the NIA Office of Special Populations seeks to stimulate health disparities research that considers environmental, sociocultural, behavioral, and biological levels of analysis. Robin Barr and Chyren Hunter will highlight training and career opportunities that may be useful for minority, underrepresented aging researchers.
Friday, November 20
1:00– 2:30 p.m. – Aging as a Life-Long Process: NIA/NIH Funding Opportunities for Early-Career Scientists – Southern Hemisphere II
How do you start NIA funding flowing to you as an early-career investigator? Whom do you need to speak with at NIA? How do you become a Butler-Williams Scholar? These and other questions will be answered in this session. You’ll also learn about the latest NIA research findings, get an update on funding mechanisms, and have the chance to talk with NIA Director Richard Hodes and staff from NIA’s extramural divisions. We will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of NIA’s signature training program: the Butler-Williams Scholars Program (formerly known as the Summer Institute on Aging). This is a terrific opportunity for young investigators and those new to the field of aging research.
3:00 – 4:30 p.m. – NIA Symposium for Senior Researchers: A Conversation with Senior Leadership – Southern Hemisphere II
I will be moderating this symposium, which targets the needs of senior investigators. NIA Director Richard Hodes will give an overview of the budget and pay lines. NIA division leaders John Haaga, Neil Buckholtz, Felipe Sierra, Evan Hadley, and Robin Barr review open funding opportunities and divisional priorities. A question-and-answer session will follow. We’re looking forward to a lively discussion!
Saturday, November 21
10 – 11:30 a.m. – Donald P. Kent Award Lecture – “A Gerontologist’s View of Wonderland: The Impact of Scientific Imagination” – Pacific Hall B
Last year I was honored to receive the Donald P. Kent Award from GSA. This year, I’m honored to give the Kent Award Lecture. Since joining NIA/NIH, I’ve been captivated being at the epicenter of scientific knowledge generation. It’s as fascinating as the wonderland of Disney. During this lecture, I will review highlights of that experience.
5:00 – 6:30 p.m. – Geroscience – Southern Hemisphere III
This symposium will examine the relationship between aging biology and disease susceptibility, starting with an introduction to the concepts of geroscience by Felipe Sierra of NIA. Three talks by leading experts will follow, covering subjects such as Alzheimer’s disease (Ralph Nixon); DNA repair and mouse models of accelerated aging (Laura Niedernhoffer); and an overview of the role of genetics over the lifecourse (Joanne Murabito).
Wednesday – Saturday
The NIA Exhibit
Last, but not least, be sure to stop by the NIA Exhibit in Booths #313-315 at some point during the meeting. The Exhibit Hall opens on Wednesday evening at 6:00 p.m. and will be open every day through 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. We’ll have the latest publications for patients and other research information from NIA for you to take home, as well as friendly staff to answer your questions about NIA funding, research priorities, outreach opportunities, and more. It’s a great place to set up meetings with NIA staff if you haven’t been able to catch us at the meeting otherwise.
We look forward to seeing you there!