Connect with NIA at AGS!
Deputy Director,
Office of the Director (OD).
California, here we come! No, we’re not participating in a gold rush, we’re going to the annual meeting of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) next week in Long Beach. We’re looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones. We also hope that you’ll take the opportunity to connect with NIA staff at the meeting, during scientific sessions and at the Exhibit Hall.
NIA is participating in two major sessions on Thursday, May 19. Both of these present excellent opportunities to hear first-hand what’s going on at NIA and to ask questions of senior NIA staff. We hope you’ll highlight these sessions in you program guide and join us next week.
NIA 101 – Introduction to the National Institute on Aging for Early Stage Researchers – 7:30 – 9 a.m.
If you’re new to the field of aging research and want to learn more about the NIA and NIH grants process, this is the session for you! I will moderate this symposium, along with Dr. Robin Barr, director of NIA’s Division of Extramural Activities, and Dr. Caroline Blaum, director of the Division of Geriatrics at NYU School of Medicine. We’ll focus on the needs of new and early-stage investigators with a review of extramural research programs and initiatives, funding opportunities—including those related to the additional funds we have received for Alzheimer’s research—and the NIH grants review process. We’ll also have information about training and fellowships, particularly those for physician-scientists. Following the formal presentations, you’ll have the chance to meet program staff from our extramural divisions to get answers to your specific questions. Don’t miss this chance for one-on-one interaction.
NIA Symposium for Senior Researchers – 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
This symposium is designed to meet the needs of research leaders and well-established investigators by providing an update from NIA staff on research programs and initiatives. It’s also designed to provide a forum for discussion between the research community and NIA senior staff. I’ll start the session with an overview of the current NIA budget, information about the Alzheimer’s disease bypass budget, and the NIA pay lines. Then, Dr. Jerry Gurwitz, chair of the AGS Research Committee and professor of primary care medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and I will moderate a question and answer session. Representatives from NIA’s extramural divisions will be there to respond to your questions about particular policies, trends, and future priorities and research directions.
Visit NIA staff in the Exhibit Hall
Finally, please make sure to stop by the NIA Exhibit in Booth #228 at some point during the meeting. The Exhibit Hall is open on Thursday from noon to 6:00 p.m. and Friday from noon to 4:30 p.m. We’ll have the latest publications for patients and research information from NIA for you to take home, as well as congenial staff to answer your questions about NIA funding, outreach opportunities, and more.
I hope to see you there!