Aging and Alzheimer's Research Training

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The Georgetown University “Aging and Alzheimer’s Research Training” (AART) program is designed for predoctoral students and postdoctoral fellows whose backgrounds have not included substantial previous training in aging or Alzheimer’s disease. It is driven by a transdisciplinary group of researchers across biomedical topics that are associated with cognitive impairment with aging (e.g., diabetes, HIV-infection, traumatic brain injury, proteinopathies, chemotherapy, seizures). The AART program will direct aspects of these research disciplines more directly to aging and AD research through the trainees. Participating faculty have the dedicated time and the University support to allow the AART program to thrive. Beyond this research, there are ten general areas of required training: 1) Clinical exposures in the Memory Disorders Program and in brain cuttings; 2) Coursework in areas of Biostatistics, Aging, and Neurodegeneration; 3) Structured personal interactions each semester with researchers from Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers; 4) Intensive grant writing for current research projects and nascent careers; 5) Attendance and presentations at national meetings; 6) A new Georgetown symposium on Aging and Alzheimer’s disease; 7) Cohort writing of a review paper on an interdisciplinary research topic; 8) Regular training the Responsible Conduct of Research as well as Rigor and Reproducibility; 9) Roundtables to promote thoughtful consideration of training experiences, including research; and 10) Outreach experiences for public education and social good. As developed, several of these required activities are specific to the AART cohorts (e.g., personal interactions with national research leaders, instruction in writing of a publishable literature review, data presentations), and several more would positively impact the broader Washington, DC research community (the yearly Aging and AD symposium; research interactions with regional Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers). Other activities ensure that trainees benefit from current University resources (journal clubs, existing coursework, training in quantitative and reproducible data analysis). Trainees will work with the Office of Career Strategy and Professional Development, which will also aid in the recruitment of individuals from under-represented minority groups. The program is directed by G. William Rebeck, who has contributed research to these areas for nearly 30 years. Oversight is provided by an Executive Committee, and by Internal and External Advisory Boards. Georgetown has the advantages of a cohesive set of researchers and strong financial support from the University. Furthermore, there are resources in the Washington DC area that are unique for better training, including researchers at the NIH/NIA, Howard University programs, and federal interactions. The goal of the AART is to take strong existing research programs at Georgetown related to conditions of aging, and use them to train students and fellows more intentionally in topics of aging and AD. This program will also drive these research labs to produce impactful aging and AD research.