Research and Mentoring on Neurocognitive Disparities in Aging

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PROJECT SUMMARY The proposed K24 Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research aims to best enable the Principal Investigator, Dr. María Marquine, to advance research on neurocognitive disparities in aging and Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRDs) among Hispanics/Latinos/as/x (henceforth Hispanics). Dr. Marquine’s research program has centered around two major themes: 1) the identification of risk and protective factors for neurocognitive decline among older Hispanics with and without HIV, and 2) the development of tools for the accurate identification of neurocognitive impairment among Spanish-speakers in the United States. More recently, she has extended this latter focus to include the use of ubiquitous mobile technology for the identification of ADRD risk. Dr. Marquine is passionate about mentoring and supporting the advancement of early career scientists, particularly those from underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds. Approximately 80% of her mentees have been from disadvantaged backgrounds, and her mentees have spanned various career stages, from high-school to early career faculty. She is currently a co-Investigator on two NIA-funded research education programs, the San Diego Alzheimer’s Disease-Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (AD-RCMAR) and the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Advancing Diversity through Aging Research (ADAR) program, and Deputy Director of an R25 Research Education Program on aging and HIV. She is also a mentor in the UCSD Hispanic Center of Excellence, several NIH-funded T32 training programs housed at UCSD, and the San Diego State University (SDSU)/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology. Attaining a Midcareer Investigator Award would allow Dr. Marquine protected time to continue advancing her research program in neurocognitive disparities and ADRD, deepen her commitment to mentor junior clinical scientists in the conduct of research in this area, and obtain formal training in mentoring and leadership skills. The award would also provide support for the development of neuropsychological normative standards to detect neurocognitive impairment associated with ADRDs among older Spanish-speakers, which is a necessary step toward the advancement of ADRD research in this understudied group. In her research and mentoring activities, Dr. Marquine will leverage resources available within three major research centers at UCSD, namely, the Stein Institute for Research on Aging, the Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and the HIV Neurobehavioral Research Program. Together, these research centers have built and maintain a highly effective research and training infrastructure that will serve as an important resource for Dr. Marquine’s own research program and that of her mentees.