Research Education Core

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ABSTRACT The Resource Center for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Research in Asian and Pacific Americans (RCASIA) has missions of 1) increasing scientists underrepresented in AD/ADRD-related Behavioral, Social, and Economic Research biomedical research through innovative models of mentoring and community interaction; 2) advancing the rigor and impact of AD/ADRD pilot studies in older APAs through Common Data Elements and data-sharing; 3) serving as a national resource for linguistically/culturally tested and validated tools to assess cognition, function, and AD/ADRD care in APA populations. The Research Education Component – led by returning REC lead Dr. Melissa Simon and newly recruited Dr. Mary Mittelman who has served as Education and Psychosocial Core leads for the NYU ADRC – will coordinate all training activities including the 2-year didactic curriculum, the training for Responsible Conduct in Research, and the pairing of Scientist- Mentor with an RCASIA mentor. REC will also introduce an innovative, theory-based model of mentoring consisting of developmental model-based discipline-specific Pods (mentor-mentee dyads in similar discipline, former Scientists as consultants, AnC faculty) and transdisciplinary ethnicity-based Teams (mentor-mentee dyads from diverse disciplines working with participants from same APA subgroup, Community and Lived Advisors, CLRC faculty). Beyond traditional academic metrics, REC will lead baseline training needs assessment of entering Scientists; monitor Pod/Team meetings; attend yearly the Annual RCMAR Meeting with two Scientists; and co-lead the Responsible Conduct of Research session with the Rutgers Center for Population Level Ethics. Three of the projects proposed for funding in Year 1 from underrepresented Scientists involve harmonization of cognitive and social determinant measures across US- based study of older Chinese adults (PINE), China-based study of older Chinese adults (CHARLS), and US- based study of older immigrant and non-immigrant adults (HRS) to identify the effect of background and immigration on cognitive trajectories; analysis of healthcare utilization by older disaggregated Asian Americans with co-morbid AD/ADRD and epilepsy across five U.S. states (using HCUP), followed by group concept mapping to improve care delivery for Chinese and Asian Indian adults with AD/ADRD and epilepsy in NJ; acceptability and feasibility of continuous glucose monitoring to reduce care needs and dyadic conflicts for older Chinese Americans with diabetes and very mild AD/ADRD. Throughout these activities, REC will be closely supported by the Cores and will coordinate yearly with the EAC for continuous evaluation and improvement. Successful completion of the REC Aims will maximize the training and scientific productivity of RCASIA Scientists, develop a pipeline of returning RCASIA Scientists who will in turn serve as mentors or peer mentors, and generate evidence for the effectiveness of the Pod/Team model of mentoring.