Director's Status Report January 2026

Click on the links below to view sections of the January 2026 Director’s Status Report:

Budget and Appropriations

  • On January 22, the House passed a package of bills — including the FY2026 Labor-HHS appropriations bill, which provides funding for NIH. The legislative package still needs to be considered and passed by the Senate before being signed into law by the President. Among other provisions, the bill would:

    • Allocate $4.518 billion for NIA, an increase of ~$10 million above FY 2025 appropriated levels (inclusive of Alzheimer’s funding noted below)
    • Provide an additional $100 million for Alzheimer’s and related dementias research across NIH ($90 million to NINDS, $10 million to NIA)
    • Cap multi-year funding based on FY 2025 multi-year funding figures
    • Require NIH to follow indirect costs regulations in place as of the third quarter of 2017
  • On November 12, 2025, H.R. 5371 , the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026 was signed into law. Among other provisions, the bill provides funding for NIH at FY2025 levels through January 30, 2026.

Legislative Update

Legislation of Interest

  • On December 1, 2025, H.R. 5284 , the Claiming Age Clarity Act, passed the House of Representatives. It now proceeds to the Senate for consideration, where it has been referred to the Committee on Finance. If enacted, the bill would update Social Security Administration terminology to improve understanding of Social Security retirement benefit claiming timing. This legislation is informed by work done in the NIA-funded Understanding America Study.
  • On November 20, 2025, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced S. 3267 , the Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act. If enacted, the bill would require Medicare to cover blood biomarker tests cleared or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. A House companion bill was introduced by Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL). Each bill has been referred to the relevant committee(s) of jurisdiction.
  • On November 20, 2025, Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) introduced several bills that would amend the Older Americans Act to increase access to care. Each bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP).
    • S.3230 , the Family Caregiver Peer Support Act. If enacted, the bill would make available grants to develop or expand in-person and virtual peer support programs for family caregivers.
    • S.3231 , the Respite Care and Resources for Everyone (CARE) Act. If enacted, the bill would make available grants for the development or expansion of integrated caregiver support services, including respite care.
    • S.3232 , the Family Caregiving Research and Innovation Act. If enacted, the bill would revise the definition of the term ‘family caregiver’ in the Older Americans Act and provide $30 million annually through 2030 to expand research and evaluation activities on family caregivers.
    • S.3233 , the FINANCE Act. If enacted, the bill would provide financial planning services related to the needs of family caregivers.
    • S.3234 , the Convenient Care for Caregivers Act. If enacted, the legislation would establish a pilot program to assist family caregivers for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder with neurological and organic brain dysfunction with accessing health care services and other supports to improve the health outcomes of the family caregivers and the individuals.
    • S. 3235 , the Disease Intervention through Nutrition Education (DINE) Act. If enacted, the bill would provide for food-based interventions, such as medically tailored meals, to improve health outcomes for older adults.
  • On November 20, 2025, Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL) introduced H.R. 6199 , the Medical Nutrition Therapy Act. If enacted, the legislation would expand the availability of medical nutrition therapy services under Medicare. The bill has been referred to the relevant committees of jurisdiction.
  • On September 17, 2025, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced S.2834 , the Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act. If enacted, the bill would establish a Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program to test a payment and service delivery model under part A of Medicare. A companion bill was introduced by Rep. James McGovern (D-MA). Each bill has been referred to the relevant committee(s) of jurisdiction.
  • On September 10, 2025, Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced S.2762 , the Supporting Our Seniors Act. If enacted, the bill would establish a 12-member Commission on Long-Term Care to submit policy recommendations on long-term care and aging in place, among other considerations. The bill has been referred to the Senate HELP Committee.
  • On September 3, 2025, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced S.2699 , the Geriatrics Workforce Improvement Act. If enacted, the bill would reauthorize specific geriatric education and training programs. The bill has been referred to the Senate HELP Committee.
  • On July 29, 2025, Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced S.2521 , the Provider Training in Palliative Care Act. If enacted, the bill would allow participants in the National Health Service Corps to defer their obligated service to receive training in palliative care services. The bill has been referred to the Senate HELP Committee.
  • On July 15, 2025, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) reintroduced S. 2287 , the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act. If enacted, the bipartisan bill would promote efforts to grow the palliative care workforce by providing for workforce training, education, awareness, and enhanced research. A House companion bill was introduced by Rep. Earl Carter (R-GA). Each bill has been referred to the relevant committee(s) of jurisdiction.
  • On June 18, 2025, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Chair of the Senate HELP Committee, introduced S. 2120 , the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act. If enacted, the bill would reauthorize the Older Americans Act, which provides a range of supportive services for older adults and their care partners, through 2030. The bill has been referred to the Senate HELP Committee.
  • On June 17, 2025, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) introduced H.R. 4209 . If enacted, the bill would provide for an emergency increase in federal funding to state Medicaid programs for expenditures on home and community-based services in fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The bill has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
  • On June 3, 2025, Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced S.1935 , the Expanding Access to Palliative Care Act. If enacted, the bill would require the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to test a model that provides community-based palliative care and care coordination for high-risk Medicare beneficiaries and that may replace the now-defunct Medicare Care Choices Model. The bill has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.

Hearings, Visits, and Other Topics of Interest

Hearings

Visits

  • On November 21, 2025, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya joined Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) in a visit to the University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.

General Information

Staff Changes

NIA has no Staff Changes to report this Council round.

Staff Honors

NIA has no Staff Honors to report this Council round.

Institute-Sponsored Meetings, Workshops, and Conferences

Past Meetings

Inflammaging: Mechanisms, Markers, and Intervention Strategies – September 22 – 23, 2025 – Rockville, MD

Aging is associated with immune dysregulation and most older individuals develop chronic, sterile, low-grade inflammation - called inflammaging. Inflammaging is characterized by high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which contributes to the pathogenesis of age-associated diseases. On September 22-23, 2025, the NIA in partnership with the trans-NIH Chronic Inflammation Working Group (CIWG) hosted an in-person workshop on Inflammaging: Mechanisms, Markers, and Intervention Strategies. This workshop focused on recent advances (molecular/cellular/immunological and technological) in our knowledge of inflammaging and its impact on the development and progression of age-associated chronic diseases.

The past few years have seen major advances in our knowledge of inflammation and aging, and improved methods to define immunological states. Notably, advances in single cell technologies have the potential to permit interrogation of epigenetic, molecular, and metabolic pathways responsible for phenotypic variation of immune cells during aging, including rare tissue resident populations, such as macrophages that play a pivotal role in regulating inflammation. The workshop highlighted recent advances, clarified mechanisms involved in accelerated development of inflammaging, chronic disease, and potential intervention strategies to prevent or slow down inflammaging and age-associated diseases. In addition, the workshop promoted collaboration between investigators. For more information, contact Mulualem Tilahun ( mulualem.tilahun@nih.gov ; 202-365-5886).

Bilingual RFA Investigators Meeting – September 23 – 24, 2025 – Bethesda, MD

The second NIA-sponsored Bilingual RFA Investigators Meeting was held September 23-24, 2025, in Bethesda, MD. This meeting provided a forum for investigators funded under RFA-AG-23-001: Understanding the Role of Bilingualism in Cognitive Reserve/Resilience in Aging and AD/ADRD (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) to update the group on progress made since the last meeting, interact face-to-face to share ideas, forge collaborations, and discuss strategies to move the field forward. Meeting attendees included funded RFA investigators and NIA staff. For more information, contact Matt Sutterer ( matt.sutterer@nih.gov ) and Erin Harrell ( erin.harrell@nih.gov ).

Baltimore Fellows Symposium – December 2, 2025 – Baltimore, MD

A Celebration of our Postdoctoral Trainees. The symposium included scientific talks by FARE winners, career development sessions led by OITE, and a keynote address by Grace Huckins, PhD, Lecturer, Stanford University, Introductory Studies - Civic, Liberal, and Global Education. No initiative or publications are expected as a result. NIA IRP hosted the event in collaboration with NIDA IRP.
For more information, contact Taya Dunn Johnson ( dunnt@grc.nia.nih.gov ).

Sex Differences Impacting Human Health Across the Lifespan – December 4, 2025 – Hybrid/Rockville, MD

Recent preclinical data from the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC) demonstrates that significant sex differences exist in many organ responses to exercise based on multi-omics analyses in rat models. In addition, most clinical diagnostics remain predominantly based on data generated from males, while 80% of drugs withdrawn from the market between 1997 and 2000 were removed due to adverse effects observed in women. This demonstrates that sex differences are much more prevalent than previously recognized. There is a fundamental need to understand how sex differences affect normal organ function, epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, disease progression, and treatment responses in humans. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of organ sex differences will significantly improve clinical diagnostics for all.

With the growing evidence of sex as a critical biological variable, the Division of Aging Biology at NIA convened this workshop, and hosted experts from academic institutions, NIH, and other federal agencies, to examine the mechanistic bases of sex differences in organ functions across multiple organs and ages, and the subsequent impacts on health outcomes. The workshop focused on major systems and identified unmet research needs and promising scientific opportunities related to sex differences impacting human health across the lifespan. A recording of the workshop is available on videocast . For more information, contact John Williams ( williamsj6@mail.nih.gov ; 240-499-5958).

NIH Geroscience Interest Group (GSIG) Webinars on Advances in Geroscience – December 18, 2025 and JANUARY 15, 2026 – Virtual

The NIH Geroscience Interest Group (GSIG) brings together NIH program staff and researchers working at the intersection of aging biology and chronic diseases. In 2025 and 2026, the GSIG is hosting a virtual webinar series focused on recent advances in the field. Many of these events will be open to the scientific community, and each event features expert speakers working in different areas of aging biology, geroscience, and chronic diseases. On December 18, 2025, GSIG hosted Dr. Stephen Kritchevsky who gave a talk on “A Translational Agenda for Geroscience”, and on January 15, 2026, GSIG hosted Dr. George Hajishengallis, University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Sarah Knox, UCSF who discussed research related to dental health and geroscience. Future webinars will be listed on the GSIG website . For more information, contact Siobhan Addie ( siobhan.addie@nih.gov ; 202-253-6015).

Future Meetings

RNA Regulation in Aging Biology – January 28, 2026 – Virtual

The objective of this workshop is to discuss post-transcriptional processes driving gene expression programs in aging biology, with a focus on RNA-centered mechanisms. The discussion will aim to address a range of processes, including splicing, mRNA turnover, translation, microRNAs/lncRNAs, RNA-binding proteins, and RNA modifications. It is not expected that this event will turn into initiative or publications. For more information, contact Angela Jackson ( angela.jackson3@nih.gov ).

2026 Dementia Care and Caregiving Research Summit – March 17 – 19, 2026 – Virtual

The purpose of the fourth triennial Dementia Care and Caregiving Research Summit is to review research progress, highlight innovative and promising research, and identify remaining unmet research needs with input from investigators, persons living with dementia, care partners, and other interest holders. The Care Summit will focus on the economic impacts of dementia, the role of community in dementia care, dementia care and caregiving interventions, dementia care models and care coordination strategies, and advances in AD/ADRD data infrastructure. The Care Summit will also include an early career investigator event led by the NIA Training Office and a Post-Summit Listening Session for members of the audience to provide additional input. For more information, contact Elena Fazio ( elena.fazio@nih.gov ).

Division of Aging Biology Intervention Testing and Resource Development Workshop – March 23, 2026 – Bethesda, MD

NIH is currently transitioning toward greater inclusion of novel alternative methods (NAMs) in research projects. The Division of Aging Biology (DAB) at NIA supports the pre-clinical development of tools and resources for translational aging biology research, thus there is a significant need to understand the current state of basic aging research, the challenges faced by the research community to advance basic studies, and where and how to leverage existing resources and NAMs to meet the needs of aging biology researchers. To address these questions, DAB will host a closed workshop on March 23, 2026, that aims to provide insights on ways to update and improve NIA investments and capacity in resources that support innovation and translational advances in aging biology research. For more information, contact Stacy Carrington-Lawrence ( stacy.carrington-lawrence@nih.gov ; 301-496-6402).

30th Annual NIA IRP Scientific Retreat – March 24 – 25, 2026 – Baltimore, MD

The Annual NIA IRP Scientific Retreat features posters and short presentations from trainees and researchers on their ongoing projects. This year’s Keynote Address will be delivered by Dr. Joseph Loscalzo, MD, PhD, Physician-in-Chief Emeritus, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, along with additional talks from IRP trainees and researchers. It is expected that many of the poster submissions will result in scientific publications. For more information, contact Angela Jackson ( angela.jackson@nih.gov ).

Cancer – Alzheimer's Disease Inverse Correlation (CADIC): From Biological Mechanisms to Therapeutic Potential – March 25 – 26, 2026 – Virtual

Epidemiological studies consistently report an inverse correlation between cancer and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The risk of AD in patients with cancer is reduced by 25-35%. Conversely, the risk of cancer is halved in patients with AD. A cancer history is associated with a measurable delay in AD onset in a dose-dependent manner, as individuals who previously had two cancers of different origins showed a later mean age of AD onset compared to individuals who previously had one or no prior cancer. The inverse correlation between cancer and AD is further corroborated by neuropathological findings. For example, a prior cancer diagnosis was associated with a reduced burden of AD pathology. Studies of postmortem brain tissues collected from patients with glioblastoma showed that regions with amyloid beta and phosphorylated tau deposits were associated with little to no cortical tumor cell infiltration. Currently, a critical gap exists between the repeatedly observed inverse association of the two diseases in epidemiological studies and a mechanistic understanding of this compelling phenomenon. To address this knowledge gap, this NIA/NCI workshop will convene experts in AD, cancer biology, statistics, epidemiology, and translational/clinical research to discuss this topic and the challenges faced by this nascent field. Ultimately, by connecting these distinct disciplines, the hope is to elucidate the complex mechanisms that underlie the inverse correlation and uncover insights into novel therapeutic interventions for these devastating diseases. For more information, contact Rebekah Feng ( rebekah.feng@nih.gov ).

NIA Symposium (Autoimmunity, Neurodegeneration, AND Aging) at the American Association of Immunologists 2026 Annual Meeting – April 15 – 19, 2026 – Boston, MA

The immune system becomes highly dysregulated during aging resulting in a decline in immune function called immunosenescence (immune aging). Immunosenescence is highly consequential in the elderly, resulting in an increased susceptibility to infections, reduced vaccine response, neuroinflammation and emergence of age-associated diseases such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease Related Dementias (AD/ADRD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), etc. A group of NIA program staff (Drs. Mulualem Tilahun, Dr. Maja Maric, and Dr. Lisa Opanashuk) will develop a symposium that highlights recent advances, clarifies mechanisms involved in autoimmunity, neurodegeneration, and potential intervention strategies to prevent or slow down development of autoimmunity and neurodegenerative diseases. Invited speakers will give a presentation on their recent research findings related to “Autoimmunity, neurodegeneration and aging.”

One of the missions of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) is to encourage new research in areas of interest to NIA and NIH. The purpose of the symposium is to highlight recent advances in aging and immunity research at a national meeting. By highlighting research in the area of immunity in older adults, immune aging, autoimmunity, neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration and interventions to improve immune response during aging, other investigators will be made aware of how they might expand their research into the aging field. The symposium informs immunologists on recent research advances in immunology, autoimmunity, neurodegeneration and aging, and encourages other immunologists to expand their research into the aging field and serves as a networking opportunity for future collaborations. For more information, contact Mulualem Tilahun ( mulualem.tilahun@nih.gov ; 202-365-5886).

Fifth Geroscience Summit: Revisiting the Geroscience Hypothesis – Focus on Health – December 2 – 3, 2026 – Hybrid/Bethesda, MD

Geroscience is a rapidly evolving field of research that aims to improve healthy lifespan by examining and targeting fundamental aging pathways to prevent, delay, or treat common age-associated conditions and diseases. Since 2012, the trans-NIH Geroscience Interest Group (GSIG) has played an important role in advancing geroscience research, in part by hosting summits that explore the state-of-the-science. The fifth Geroscience Summit will be an opportunity to assess progress toward addressing the development and execution of geroscience-based clinical trials, treating multimorbidity with geroscience-based interventions, validating and utilizing biomarkers of aging in geroscience research, and facilitating more effective communication around geroscience across stakeholder groups. For more information, contact Siobhan Addie ( siobhan.addie@nih.gov ; 202-253-6015).

Meetings With External Audiences

September – December 2025

NIA Healthy Aging Start-Up Challenge Graduation Ceremony;December 17, 2025 – NIA Director Dr. Richard Hodes delivered opening remarks during the ceremony, emphasizing the contributions of Challenge graduates to innovation in aging.

Meeting with the Sleep Research Society; December 12, 2025 – NIA Acting Deputy Director Dr. Kenneth Santora and NIA staff met with leadership of the Sleep Research Society to discuss NIA’s sleep and circadian clock research portfolio, as well as topics put forth by the Sleep Research Society.

Meeting with the Focused Ultrasound Foundation; December 8, 2025 – Dr. Richard Hodes, Dr. Kenneth Santora, and NIA staff convened with the Focused Ultrasound Foundation to review NIH and NIA updates, as well as recent advancements in the field of focused ultrasound and their application to age-related diseases.

NIA Workshop, “Sex Differences Impacting Human Health Across the Lifespan”; December 4, 2025 – Dr. Richard Hodes shared opening remarks for the workshop, emphasizing the role of basic mechanistic research in elucidating differences between the sexes, especially those which have implications for long-term health and functioning.

Gateway to Global Aging Data Advisory Meeting; November 17, 2025 – Dr. Richard Hodes shared introductory remarks, highlighting the significance of Gateway to Global Aging data for the study of aging in the United States and in countries around the world.

Annual Meeting of the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) Network; September 29, 2025 – Dr. Richard Hodes delivered opening remarks for the meeting, recognizing the growing HCAP network and the contributions of HCAP studies to understanding of cognitive aging.

NIH Workshop, “Inflammaging: Mechanisms, Markers, and Intervention Strategies”; September 22, 2025 – Dr. Richard Hodes provided opening remarks for the workshop, underscoring the central role of inflammation in the aging process and how advancements in the study of inflammation may enable prevention and treatment of age-associated chronic diseases.

Meeting with the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH); September 18, 2025 – Dr. Richard Hodes, Dr. Kenneth Santora, and NIA staff met with ASPPH leadership to discuss ASPPH’s recent report, “Healthy Longevity: Public Health’s Next Frontier, a Framework for Research, Education, Practice, and Policy.”

Meeting with the Friends of NIA; September 16, 2025 – Dr. Richard Hodes and Dr. Kenneth Santora met with the Friends of NIA to share NIH and NIA news, including budgetary updates, research initiatives, and policy announcements.

Global Down Syndrome Foundation; September 9, 2025 – NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Dr. Richard Hodes, and other senior NIH leaders met with the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, discussing research advancements and initiatives in the field of Down Syndrome

New Notices and Initiatives Relevant to the NIA

As announced in NOT-OD-25-143 , beginning in fiscal year 2026, NIH will no longer post notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs) in the NIH Guide. All NIA NOFOs will be posted to Grants.gov. NIH Highlighted Topics is the new centralized resource that informs the research community about particular areas of science of interest to NIH and ICs.