Research Centers Collaborative Network Renewal

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The problems of an aging society transcend the boundaries of any specific discipline and play out across multiple biologic and societal domains. The six National Institute on Aging center programs address these problems but typically from a specific disciplinary perspective. To provide a mechanism to foster cross-disciplinary collaborations the Research Centers Collaborative Network (RCCN) was established in 2008. It is led by the American Federation for Aging Research and the Wake Forest School of Medicine. The RCCN addresses the challenge of building multidisciplinary collaborations by employing 5 complementary strategies: 1) identifying intellectual opportunities that are best advanced by inter-center collaboration; 2) stimulating the development of cross-center collaborations; 3) providing new opportunities for early career researchers to expand their multidisciplinary collaborative network; and 4) leveraging RCCN activities to bring additional resources to multidisciplinary aging research. Its first two years were highly successful. In a highly praised workshop series, it brought together key thought leaders from each of the 6 NIA center programs, offered didactic programs for early career researchers, established a Webinar series, worked with NIA center coordinating centers to coordinate activities and promote dissemination, and worked with the CTSA’s Inclusion of Older Adults workgroup to increase recruitment of older adults to clinical research among other achievements. Its goals going forward build on these achievements and introduce important innovations and refinements. The RCCN’s specific aims for the next cycle are to: 1. Stimulate cross-center collaboration through: a) Workshops focused on cross-cutting scientific themes each relevant to 4 or more center programs; and b) Pilot grants supporting the initiation of cross-center collaborations. 2. Provide educational opportunities for early career investigators to build competencies in multidisciplinary and cross-institutional research. 3. Work with NIA Center program coordinating centers and other NIA supported research networks to: a) disseminate cutting edge multidisciplinary science; b) foster connections between the 6 NIA center programs and other NIA-supported research networks; and c) develop tools, standards and guidelines to promote multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional research. 4. Expand its impact through fostering applications to foundations, the CTSA program and other potential sponsors whose interests align with NIA Center programs. The RCCN employs multiple evaluation strategies designed to strengthen and adapt its programs and to gauge its impact in fostering multidisciplinary approaches to solving the problems facing older adults.