Research Education Core

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Summary The older population will more than double from 35 million in 2000 to 72 million in 2030 and comprise almost 20% of the U.S. population. To help preserve older Americans’ mobility and independence, the University of Florida (UF) Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC) Research Education Core (REC) promotes the development of independent investigators in interdisciplinary research on aging related to “promotion of mobility and independence.” This core emphasizes the competency-based development of research and leadership skills for conducting high-impact research across the translational spectrum. Key to this approach is our partnerships with UF’s NIH-funded Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), the UF Center for Advancing Minority Pain and Aging Science (CAMPAS), the Veterans Affairs (VA) Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), the Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC), and all of our University colleges. The REC leverages and contributes to other internal and external initiatives providing career support, including UF resources and programs; NIH and other extramural career-development awards, diversity supplements, research awards, and fellowships; and CTSI and VA support. The REC supports the research training of REC Scholars who span the spectrum from beginning trainees (post-doctoral students) to assistant professors who have not yet obtained funding for major (R01-level) research grants. REC Scholars receive direct salary support from the REC to protect their time for career development and research. They also benefit from REC mentorship and training activities, access to other OAIC Core support, and travel resources. In our first year, we propose to support an interdisciplinary group of four REC Scholars from four different UF departments (Physical Therapy, Surgery, Aging and Geriatric Research, and Neurology). Among these REC Scholars, two have clinical degrees and responsibilities; one is a woman. The REC’s overarching goal is to recruit, select, and train talented REC Scholars committed to advancing translational science and to integrating clinical insights of health/disease and independence/disability in older adults. Using knowledge of advances in basic and clinical research findings, REC Scholars will strive to find potential interventions that will promote mobility and independence in older adults. To facilitate team science and a translational perspective, we emphasize an interdisciplinary career-development plan supported by a diverse cadre of scientists (basic, translational, social, behavioral, biostatistics, epidemiological, and clinical). Tailored career-development plans for each proposed REC-supported Scholar include, but are not limited to: a) a research project integrated with this OAIC’s theme; b) a formal training strategy that stresses the integration of basic and clinical research and interactions across the OAIC research spectrum and exploits the resources of the other OAIC Core facilities; c) a formal mentorship program that uses a team approach to foster translational science approaches; and d) a monitoring process to evaluate trainees’ progress formally using specific milestones and achievements.