Mechanisms of Aging and Dementia Training Program

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This new proposal is a request for funding of a broadly-based postdoctoral and pre-doctoral Mechanisms of Aging and Dementia Training Program from the Northwestern University Institute for Neuroscience (NUIN). Funding to support four advanced pre-doctoral candidates, after they have begun full-time thesis research, and four postdoctoral trainees, in early or later stages of training, is requested. This training program has developed from a multi-disciplinary group of investigators whose work focuses on the mechanisms of aging and dementia, in particular Alzheimer s Disease, with approaches spanning molecular, cellular, systems, behavioral, neuropsychological and clinical neuroscience, including four with current NIH MERIT awards, one with a Javits award and one who is a Howard Hughes Investigator. Seven of the 23 faculty preceptors are women, including the Associate Director. These faculty are affiliated with NUIN, the Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer s Disease Center that has an NIA-supported Alzheimer?s Disease Center grant, and the Buehler Center on Aging. The program will be directed by John Disterhoft, Ph.D., with the assistance of Sandra Weintraub, Ph.D. (Associate Director), an Internal Steering Committee and an External Advisory Committee. The four postdoctoral and four pre-doctoral trainees will conduct their research under the guidance of 23 preceptors from 10 departments of 2 schools on the Chicago and Evanston campuses of Northwestern University. Postdoctoral trainees will be selected on the basis of previous training and a research plan. Pre-doctoral trainees will be selected from NUIN and the Medical Scientist Ph.D. Training Program on the basis of course performance, rotation, and the relevance of the proposed dissertation research. Special consideration will be given to trainees whose research plans are interdisciplinary and carried out in more than one preceptor laboratory. A concerted effort will be made to recruit women and minorities. The program will offer a broad range of interdisciplinary research and training opportunities in both fundamental and clinical approaches to aging and dementia research. The preceptor faculty will assist and monitor trainee progress through formal advising and evaluations, through the classroom, and through informal discussions. In addition to providing research training, the program will help trainees develop skills in written and oral communication, grant writing, networking, and career development. Instilling a clear awareness of ethical issues facing neuroscientists and responsible conduct in science will be another training goal.