NIA sponsors regional meeting to engage investigators new to aging research
On October 20, several NIA senior staff will travel to Atlanta for the NIA Director's Regional Meeting in Aging Research at Morehouse School of Medicine. They will describe current funding opportunities available for researchers who may be new to the field of aging research. I recently sat down with NIA Director Dr. Richard Hodes to discuss the upcoming meeting.
Q. Why is it important for current and potential grantees to attend this regional meeting?
A. We know that many of the researchers funded by NIA only get the chance to interact with staff at one or two large national meetings each year. And, we know that travel funds are often limited. So this meeting is a great way for us to reach out and engage with the community. We hope that this meeting will attract researchers within the region. I'm personally looking forward to being there for meaningful and productive conversations with participants about new opportunities in the field of aging research.
We'll have two breakout sessions in the afternoon, during which participants can ask specific questions related to the NIA's research divisions and programs, training, and small business innovation research and technology transfer programs.
Q. Which NIA staff members will be attending the regional meeting?
A. Each of NIA's extramural divisions will be represented:
- Division of Aging Biology – Dr. Jose Velazquez
- Division of Behavioral and Social Research – Dr. John Haaga
- Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology – Dr. Evan Hadley
- Division of Neuroscience – Dr. Eliezer Masliah
- Division of Extramural Activities – Dr. Robin Barr
You and I will round out the speakers list.
Q. Why did we choose Morehouse School of Medicine for the regional meeting?
A. We looked at our portfolio of aging research grants and saw an opportunity to reach out to institutions in the southeast region of the U.S. The city of Atlanta is central to the region and we felt that Morehouse School of Medicine would be a great location to attract the researchers that we are seeking to engage. The Morehouse School of Medicine planning team, led by Vice President for Research Dr. Sandra Harris Hooker has worked with us to develop the meeting agenda.
Q. What does NIA hope to accomplish with this regional meeting?
A. We'd like to meet and engage investigators with an interest and expertise in aging research. Specifically, we would like to make them aware of our Institute, our funding priorities, and related opportunities. We would also like to hear their thoughts on a variety of topics, including how to recruit and retain underrepresented trainees and investigators to aging research.
Q. Who can attend?
A. We are hoping that a broad range of researchers and trainees attend to hear about the NIA and our many training and research opportunities. Our divisions at NIA cover a wide spectrum of aging research and we hope to attract researchers in the region with interest in all areas of research that we support.
Thank you for talking with me Dr. Hodes. We hope to see many interested researchers at Morehouse School of Medicine on October 20. If you live in the region, please register as soon as possible. The meeting has no registration fee and is open to all who would like to attend. Online registration closes on October 14. Participants should note that any travel and lodging costs are their responsibility. Both the agenda and the registration page are online. We hope to see you there!