Biology of Aging Sessions at Meetings of The Gerontological Society of America

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案向美国老年学会（GSA）生物科学部组织的2012-2014年度科学会议提供国家老龄化研究所的资金支持。GSA成立于1945年，是致力于推进老年学研究的历史最悠久、规模最大的国家跨学科科学组织。该协会有大约5200名会员，分为四个主要部门；生物科学、健康科学、行为和社会科学以及社会研究、政策和实践部门，并有一个活跃的学生部门（新兴学者和专业组织）。拟议的生物科学会议的总体目标是教育GSA成员关于衰老基础科学研究的最新进展，并确保有一个跨学科转化研究的机制。尽管每年都有许多专门的会议集中讨论老龄化和与年龄相关的疾病，但GSA年度科学会议是唯一一个定期召开的会议，将来自多个学科的老年学家聚集在一起，展示和讨论老龄化研究的最新进展。这种“翻译”的相互作用从一开始就根植于GSA。1954年，奥利·兰德尔博士在GSA的主席演讲中讨论了“不同学科的人聚集在一起以丰富彼此的共同利益的必要性”。对转化研究的关注也是NIH的一个关键目标。GSA生物科学部致力于在GSA年度会议上为与会者提供最高质量的课程，并实现生物科学家与临床医生、心理学家和社会学家之间的转化，致力于老龄化的研究和教育。实现这一目标的指导原则是，当基础科学研究人员从老年病学家、心理学家和社会学家那里了解老龄化的主要问题时，最高质量和最相关的科学就会出现——反过来，他们也会了解新兴的老龄化基础科学机制，以及基于严格的科学调查，旨在改善老龄化和与年龄相关疾病的干预措施的功效。GSA年度科学会议在培养这种动态的跨学科方法方面是独一无二的。重要的是，我们认识到我们的主要责任是教育研究人员了解最重要的新兴科学概念，这些概念可能会导致将这些进步纳入他们自己的科学努力中。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal requests financial support from the National Institute on Aging for the 2012-2014 Annual Scientific Meetings organized by the Biological Sciences Section of The Gerontological Society of America (GSA). The GSA, founded in 1945, is the oldest and largest national interdisciplinary scientific organization devoted to the advancement of gerontological research. The Society has approximately 5,200 members organized within four (4) major sections; Biological Sciences, Health Sciences, Behavioral and Social Sciences and Social Research, Policy, and Practice Sections and has an active student section (Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization). The overall goal of the proposed biological sciences sessions is to educate members of GSA on the latest advances in the basic science research of aging and ensure that there is a mechanism for translational research across disciplines. Although there are many specialty meetings that occur each year that are focused on aging and age- related disease, the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting is the only regularly scheduled conference that brings gerontologists from multiple disciplines together to present and discuss the latest advances in aging research. This 'translational' interaction was engrained in GSA from its inception. In 1954, Dr. Ollie Randall's Presidential address to the GSA, discussed the 'growing necessity for people of different disciplines to be brought together for the mutual benefit of the enrichment of each'. The focus on translational research is also a key goal of NIH. The GSA Biological Sciences Section is dedicated to providing the highest quality program for its attendees at the GSA annual meeting and fulfilling the translational niche that links biological scientists with clinicians, psychologists, and sociologists devoted to research and education in aging. The guiding principle for reaching this goal is that the highest quality and most relevant science will emerge when basic science researchers understand the primary issues of aging from geriatricians, psychologists and sociologists- and they, in turn, understand the emerging basic science mechanisms of aging and the efficacy of interventions designed to ameliorate aging and age-related disease based on rigorous scientific investigation. The GSA Annual Scientific Meeting is unique in its ability to foster such a dynamic, interdisciplinary approach. Importantly, we are cognizant of our primary responsibility to educate researchers on the most important emerging scientific concepts that would potentially result in incorporation of these advances into their own scientific endeavors. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The progress in understanding the mechanisms of aging engenders the responsibility to communicate this progress to others in related scientific fields and the public. The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is the oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging and has over 5,200 members dedicated to the primary mission to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers, and the general public. There is an urgent need to provide a forum where clinicians, basic scientists, educators and members of the social and psychological sciences can interact and learn from each other's research. This proposed program organized and presented by the GSA Biological Sciences Section has a unique position within the scientific community and is designed to educate not only biological scientists on advances related to mechanisms of aging from other, related disciplines but also to educate members of the Health Sciences Section and other GSA members on the latest advances in the basic science of aging that may ultimately serve to advance and improve their own research efforts and improve the quality of life for older adults.