May 2024 Director’s Status Report

Status of FY 2024 Budget

On Saturday, March 23, 2024, the President signed into law H.R. 2882 , the “Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” which provides funding for NIH and other federal agencies through September 30, 2024.

• The bill provides an additional $100 million for Alzheimer’s and related dementias research over the fiscal year (FY) 2023 amount, including $90 million for NIA and $10 million for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
• The bill also includes $12.5 million for palliative care research in FY 2024.
• In total, the bill provides NIA with a total of $4,507,623,000 in FY 2024.

President’s Budget

On Monday, March 11, the White House released the President’s FY 2025 Budget . Among other things, the budget requests $4,425,295,000 for NIA in FY 2025. The budget serves as a statement of Administration priorities to Congress, and its release typically kicks off the annual appropriations process.

• Note that the NIA figure in the President’s FY 2025 Budget is relatively flat with respect to FY 2023 funding. FY 2024 appropriations figures were not available at the time of the FY 2025 President’s Budget release.
• HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra has testified on the President’s Budget five times thus far:
  • On Wednesday, April 17, 2024, before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health.
  • On Tuesday, April 16, 2024, before the Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations subcommittee.
  • On Thursday, March 21, 2024, before the House Labor-HHS Appropriations subcommittee.
  • On Thursday, March 21, 2024, before the House Ways and Means Committee.
  • On Thursday, March 14, 2024, before the Senate Finance Committee.

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Legislation of Interest

On Wednesday, March 20, the House Energy & Commerce Committee advanced three Alzheimer’s bills to the full House of Representatives, where the bills await full consideration. The Committee also advanced a bill to reauthorize the Investigation of Co-occurring conditions across the Lifespan to Understand Down Syndrome (INCLUDE) Project. The bills, which advanced out of the health subcommittee on March 12, include:

• H.R. 619 , which would reauthorize the National Alzheimer’s Project through FY 2035.
• H.R. 620 , which would extend the requirement for an annual Professional Judgement Budget for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias beyond 2025.
• H.R. 7218 , which would reauthorize the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act through 2029. This bill primarily affects the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• H.R. 7406 , which extends authorization for the INCLUDE Project through 2029.

Hearings, Visits, and Other Topics of Interest

On Monday, March 18, President Biden issued an Executive Order on Advancing Women’s Health Research and Innovation that expands and enhances research on women’s health, including research supported by NIA.

Staff Changes

Victoria Acosta-Rodriguez, Ph.D., joined the Intramural Research Program (IRP) as an Earl Stadtman Tenure-Track Investigator in the Translational Gerontology Branch (TGB). Dr. Acosta-Rodriguez will work under the direction of Dr. Rafael de Cabo, Senior Investigator and Chief, TGB, and will oversee the Circadian Biology of Aging Unit (CBAU). The CBAU will investigate how circadian clocks age and contribute to the onset of chronic diseases. Dr. Acosta-Rodriguez received her doctoral degree in 2013 in Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology from the National University of Cordoba in Cordoba, Argentina. She then trained as a Postdoctoral Researcher and Research Scientist under the mentorship of Dr. Joseph S. Takahashi, at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. In 2019, Dr. Acosta-Rodriguez accepted a position as an instructor, still under Dr. Takahashi’s program, where she remained until joining TGB.

Mir M. Ali, Ph.D., joined the Division of Behavioral and Social Research (BSR) as a program officer in the Office of Data Research and Analytics (ODRA). A specialist in behavioral health economics, Dr. Ali focuses his research on mental illness, substance abuse, and issues of behavioral health policies affecting children and adults. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from Stony Brook University in 2007, and prior to joining NIA, he was a Senior Health Economist with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (2018-2024), a Social Science Analyst with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2012-2018), an Economist with the Food & Drug Administration (2010-2012), and an Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Toledo (2007-2012). He has authored 120+ peer- reviewed articles in leading economics, medical, and public health journals, and numerous government reports. His research has been widely covered in the media.

Mohammed El Allam, M.S., joined the IRP as a Biologist in the Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias (CARD), effective March 11, 2024. Mr. El Allam is in the Automated Cell Culture Expert Group, where they seek to differentiate iPSCs into neurons and other relevant CNS cell types using automated high-throughput robotic systems in efforts to study Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Prior to this, he was a lab technician contracted with the same group. Mr. Allam earned his Master of Science in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology from George Mason University.

Shanae Black joined the IRP as a Medical Instrument Technician in the Clinical Research Core. Prior to this appointment, she was a contracted Medical Technician in the Health Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) Study. Ms. Black holds an Associate of Arts and Science from Germanna Community College.

Vicky Cattani, Ph.D., joined the Division of Extramural Activities (DEA) as a SBIR Program Officer in the Office of Strategic Extramural Programs (OSEP). In this role, she is responsible for promoting and supporting small businesses seeking SBIR/STTR funding in the age tech space. In addition, she helps small business awardees advance toward commercialization by coordinating and supporting programs to expose awardees to investors, strategic partners, and key stakeholders. Before joining NIA, Dr. Cattani served as the Associate Director of Research Programs at the Parkinson’s Foundation, where she oversaw a diverse portfolio aimed at understanding the mechanisms and advancing a cure for Parkinson’s disease. Prior to the Foundation, Dr. Cattani was a Senior Scientific Consultant at Eva Garland Consulting. As such, she helped hundreds of startups and biotech companies to secure millions of dollars in non-dilutive funding towards product development and commercialization. Dr. Cattani earned her Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Rochester, and subsequently served as a Charles H. Revson Senior Postdoctoral Fellow at the Genomics and Systems Biology Center at New York University.

C’iana Cooper, Ph.D., joined the IRP as a Staff Scientist in the Neurocognitive Aging Section (NAS) of the Laboratory of Behavior Neuroscience (LBN),. Dr. Cooper will work under the direction of Dr. Peter Rapp, Senior Investigator, LBN. In this role, Dr. Cooper will assume a lead role in designing and conducting research in three broad areas: 1) translational neural systems research on the contributions of the cerebellum to neurocognitive aging, spanning rodent models, nonhuman primates, and humans; 2) integrative neuroscience neuroimaging acquisition and analysis, including fMRI, in small animal, nonhuman primate, and human studies on cognitive resilience in aging; and 3) exploratory and validation studies in support of the Successful Trajectories of Aging: Reserve and Resilience in Rats Study (STARRRS) longitudinal research program on neurocognitive aging. Dr. Cooper received her Ph.D. in Exercise Science Applied Physiology with a concentration in Neuroscience in 2015 from the University of South Carolina. After receiving her degree, she joined the NIA IRP, where she worked as a postdoctoral fellow and Research Fellow until her recent appointment as a Staff Scientist.

Megan Duffy, Ph.D., joined the Division of Neuroscience as a Health Program Specialist in the Neurobiology of Aging and Neurodegeneration Branch in January 2024. She completed her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at Michigan State University in 2018 in the Department of Translational Neuroscience, where her graduate work focused on the temporal relationship between neuroinflammation, synucleinopathy, and nigrostriatal degeneration. Dr. Duffy joined the NIA IRP in 2018 as a postdoctoral fellow in the Cell Biology and Gene Expression Section of the Laboratory of Neurogenetics, where she focused on 1) building better iPSC-derived brain organoid models to study mechanisms of neurodegeneration and 2) applying single-cell sequencing and bioinformatics approaches to human brain tissue to investigate region- and cell-type specific transcriptomic and epigenomic changes in healthy brain aging, which may contribute to selective vulnerability in various neurodegenerative diseases.

Janelle (Nell) Foret, Ph.D., joined the Division of Neuroscience (DN) as a Health Specialist. She will support program officers focused on epidemiology of Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD) in diverse populations. Dr. Foret completed her Ph.D. in Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, with a Neuropsychology emphasis, and her postdoctoral fellowship under Matthew Panizzon at the University of California San Diego. Her research has largely focused on the intersection of cognitive aging and women's health, particularly the identification of sex differences in modifiable cardiovascular risk factors for neurocognitive decline.

Leslie Gordon joined BSR as a Clinical Trials Specialist in the Clinical Trials Office (CTO). In this role, she will provide clinical trials stewardship, support clinical trials’ pre- and post-award policy compliance, conduct risk assessment and determine the appropriate level of oversight for clinical trials applications, and conduct expertise and conflict of interest reviews for NIA-appointed clinical trials oversight entities. Prior to joining NIA, Ms. Gordon served as a Senior Clinical Project Manager for a contract research organization where she managed a contract providing clinical studies management support for the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) Extramural Research Program.

Sarah Heilman, M.S., joined DN as a Data Scientist. She has worked across the public health field, providing a variety of services from scientific writing and strategic planning to events management in the mission to advance the health of underserved populations. Ms. Heilman completed her B.S. in Public Health from the Ohio State University and her M.S. in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. She has worked in federal, industry, clinical, and academic settings with colleagues from all backgrounds. For three years, Ms. Heilman enjoyed contracting with NIH in the Office of Research on Women's Health, and she is excited to be back with NIH. In her free time, Ms. Heilman loves reading fantasy novels and spending time with her partner, their dog, and two chaotic bengal cats.

Mary Herron joined the Office of Communication and Public Liaison (OCPL) as a Technical Writer-Editor in the Health Communications Branch. In this role, she will create and update NIA’s online health information articles and print publications for the general public. Her focus areas include caregiving, health care professionals, and clinical research. Ms. Herron was previously at the NIH National Library of Medicine (NLM), where she most recently worked on the consumer health website MedlinePlus. She also contributed to the NIH MedlinePlus Magazine and was the NLM Technical Bulletin editor. In addition to her extensive writing and editing experience, Ms. Herron has coordinated email newsletters and social media, analyzed user data, and supported user testing and user experience efforts. Ms. Herron holds a B.S. in Consumer Economics from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Tony Jarmusz joined OCPL as a Writer-Editor in the Health Communications Branch. In this role focusing on science writing and feature articles, he will work on creative and effective ways to “tell the stories” of NIA research, and create and update NIA’s online health information articles and print publications. Previously, Mr. Jarmusz worked as a writer at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Before that, he wrote for the Department of Veterans Affairs and several newspapers. Highlights of his work include a series of podcasts and videos for NIMH's 75th Anniversary, and countless feature stories covering everything from aerospace to politics. Mr. Jarmusz holds a B.S. in Photography from Grand Valley State University.

Min Jung Kim joined the IRP as an Intramural Support Assistant in the Laboratory of Neurogenetics. Her main duties include administrative and clerical operations, arranging travel for staff members, and responding to inquiries from senior management. Ms. Kim was a registered dental hygienist previously and worked in the Virginia/Washington, D.C. area. She also worked overseas as a contractor at the U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan base dental clinic in Seoul, South Korea. She has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Virginia Tech and earned a professional degree from Howard University School of Dentistry.

Lauren Komer, Ph.D., joined DN as a Health Program Specialist in the Neurobiology Branch. Prior to joining NIA, Dr. Komer worked as a life sciences program manager at the New York Academy of Sciences. She received her Ph.D. from Weill Cornell Medicine, with her dissertation on assessing the role of membrane binding of alpha synuclein in the central and enteric nervous system. Her research ranged from basic cell biochemistry, to mouse models of synucleinopathies, to human clinical trials.

Nicholas McNeill joined BSR as a Program Support Assistant in the Office of Director and has filled urgent needs for more essential administrative support in BSR. Mr. McNeill handles staff needs for travel and conference registrations, processes a variety of other purchasing requirements, and will be working with BSR’s Communications Team to maintain up-to-date content on BSR’s webpage. Mr. McNeill completed a bachelor’s degree in history at UCLA and comes to us with administrative and management experience in the retail sector, including supervisory roles at Marshall’s and Tiffany’s in the LA area, and most recently at Sprouts Supermarket in Baltimore.

Emma Montgomery joined OCPL as a Digital Communications Specialist in the Web and Design Services Branch. She will lead NIA’s website development, maintenance, and compliance efforts; guide strategic coordination with web stakeholders; and oversee web usability, user experience efforts, and SEO projects. In her previous role, Ms. Montgomery served as a digital content manager for the National Criminal Justice Association, where among other accomplishments, she leveraged analytics to triple website traffic. With a passion for maintaining websites and more than seven years of experience managing digital content, she has a proven track record of success in digital communications. Ms. Montgomery is completing a B.S. in Physical Science from St. John’s University.

Morgan Moore joined OCPL as a Social Media Specialist in the Outreach and Digital Engagement Branch. Ms. Moore has a B.A. in Mass Communications from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. She is a seasoned social media manager with more than five years of experience crafting and executing impactful social media strategies for industry-leading brands and services. She is skilled in leveraging digital platforms, monitoring market trends, creating engaging content, and fostering engagement to drive brand awareness. She is also a Mass Communications Specialist with the Army National Guard with over 12 years of service. In her role with NIA, Ms. Moore will coordinate NIA’s email marketing efforts, manage NIA’s social media channels including X and Facebook, support outreach efforts, and develop and update related materials and web content.

Calais Prince, Ph.D., recently joined NIA’s Office of Legislation, Policy, and International Activities (OLPIA) as a Health Science Policy Analyst. Dr. Prince comes to NIA from the American Association for Cancer Research, where she served as Associate Director for Science and Health Policy. Prior to that, Dr. Prince served as a fellow with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), during which time she worked with the U.S. Department of Defense in health services policy and oversight. In addition, she has previous expertise as a postdoctoral researcher in health policy at NIH’s National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD). Dr. Prince earned her baccalaureate degree from Purdue University and her doctoral degree in cellular and structural biology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

Cathony Reid, M.S., joined BSR as a Health Specialist in the Office of AD/ADRD Strategic Coordination (OASC). In this new role, she will support the office’s work with internal and external audiences as OASC disseminates AD/ADRD behavioral and social science initiatives, findings, and research priorities. Prior to joining NIA, Ms. Reid worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a project officer overseeing portfolios for non-governmental agencies. She also served as a project officer for state-based coalitions focused on overdose prevention, aiming to mobilize communities to prevent youth substance use. Since health equity is embedded in many areas, she also has experience working on initiatives focused on maternal and child health, LGBTQIA+ health, and diversity, equity, and inclusion policies on a state level. Ms. Reid earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology, with a minor in Chemistry, and her MPH at Georgia Southern University. She is currently working on her DrPH at Mercer University with a focus in diverse populations and health equity. Her areas of research include autism spectrum disorder, mental health, health equity, and improving access to care.

Tina Roberson joined the IRP as an Administrative Officer on the Budget Team. She will work alongside the other budget Administrative Officers and the financial analysis contractor to oversee the budget allocation. Ms. Roberson has been a part of NIA since 2001, having worked in the Clinical Research Core and the Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics (LGG). She received an associate degree from Strayer University in 2009.

Tiffany Rolle, Ph.D., joined DN as a Health Specialist who will support program officers focused on genetics and functional genomics of AD/ADRD in diverse populations. Dr. Rolle holds a Ph.D. in genetics and genomics from Baylor College of Medicine. Following her degree, she completed a science education and engagement fellowship with the American Society of Human Genetics and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). Her subsequence experience includes program management, science education, and strategic consulting.

Lisa-Marie Tisdale Rowell (Wigfall), Ph.D., brings health promotion and health disparities expertise to the NIA Scientific Review Branch (SRB) as an experienced Scientific Review Officer. Dr. Rowell received her Ph.D. in health promotion, education, and behavior, as well as a graduate certificate of study in health communication, both from the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina (UofSC). She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in health disparities research at the UofSC’s Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities. She was a research assistant professor in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management at UofSC, a tenure-track assistant professor in the Division of Health Education at Texas A&M University, and the associate director for the Cancer Prevention Research Training Program at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. She also served on the executive board as the treasurer for the American Academy of Health Behavior, and as an editorial board member of the Journal of Cancer Education. Prior to joining NIH, Dr. Rowell had a funded research program that was focused on improving HPV-related cancer health outcomes for women living with HIV and sexual and gender minorities. Prior to joining NIA, she was a scientific review officer in the Epidemiology and Population Health branch the Center for Scientific Review (CSR), where she developed her expertise in the NIH peer review process.

Crystal Spruill joined the IRP as an Administrative Lab Manager in the LGG. In this role, she will be overseeing the travel process and managing the LGG’s staff administrative needs. Before joining the IRP, she was a Program Manager II in the NIH Office of the Director in Bethesda.

Melissa Stryker joined the BSR as a Program Analyst in the Office of Director. Ms. Stryker comes to BSR after five years at the NIH Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP) where she served as a Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and Primary COR on the Tulane University Nonhuman Primate Studies Coordination Center and an alternate COR for the Alamogordo Primate Facility and Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research. She also was ORIP’s liaison for submitting notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs) in the NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement Module (FOAM) system. At BSR, Ms. Stryker will serve as COR for various contracts including the Science, Management and Research Administration contract and SBIR contracts. Ms. Stryker will also coordinate BSR’s internal process for submitting NOFOs into FOAM. Prior to working at ORIP, Ms. Stryker worked at the NIH CSR, and she hold a bachelor's degree in health promotion from American University.

Delany Torres, Ph.D., joined BSR as the new Training Officer. In this role, he oversees BSR’s training and career development portfolio while also serving as the point of contact for small business activities. Dr. Torres joined NIA after several years as Program Director in the Office of Training and Workforce Development at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) where he managed and oversaw NINDS’s training and career development portfolio. Prior to this, he served as a Scientific Review Officer at NINDS where he led study sections that included career transition awards, fellowships, and T32s. Before his career in extramural research at NINDS, Dr. Torres was a Research Fellow at NIMH after his own training in cellular and molecular neurophysiology, in which he received his Ph.D. at Leibniz Universität Hannover in Germany and a postdoc in the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Neurobiology.

Kendall Van Keuren-Jensen, Ph.D., joined the IRP as a Senior Scientist in CARD. Dr. Van Keuren-Jensen will work under the direction of Dr. Andrew Singleton, Director, CARD, and her focus is to create and enact a strategic plan for CARD’s research efforts in developing and using state-of-the-art genomic approaches to understand disease biology and to aid in disease subtyping, diagnosis, and prediction. Dr. Van Keuren-Jensen received her Ph.D. in Neurobiology and Behavior at Stony Brook University at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York in 2005. She held postdoctoral fellowships with Harvard Medical School in Boston (2007) and with the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) in Phoenix (2009). In 2009, she became an Assistant Professor at TGen and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2014. Since 2017, she served as the Director of the Center for Noninvasive Diagnostics at TGen, where she was also a Professor of Neurogenomics. Additionally, she was a Professor in the Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics at the City of Hope Medical Center in California before joining CARD.

Clarissa Vincent, MS, CCRP, joined the Office of Clinical Research (OCR) as a clinical operations specialist in the Clinical Operations and Support Branch. She will participate in the development and implementation of strategies to evaluate and monitor clinical operations and enrollment processes in research supported by NIA. She will provide guidance regarding corrective action plans and appropriate follow-up and will provide recommendations and consultations about protocol-related documents and resources. Ms. Vincent is bilingual in Spanish and holds a master’s degree in cognitive neuropsychology and a bachelor’s degree in psychology, both of which were obtained in Madrid, Spain. She has held positions in the U.S. and abroad in neuropsychology, and as a rater, study coordinator, and Clinical Research Associate in a range of practice settings. Most recently, Ms. Vincent served as a clinical research advisor and monitor on a contract for NIMH’s Office of Clinical Research where she performed routine monitoring and clinical research education, support, and training as well as leading for-cause site visits.

Monique Walters joined the IRP as an Intramural Support Assistant in CARD. Her current duties include preparing travel packages and serving as a timekeeper. She previously worked as an Intramural Support Assistant at NIH’s Division of Technical Resources.

Ann Zelenka, Ph.D., joined the IRP as a Program Specialist in the Networks Computing and Telephony Section. She previously was a Programs Specialist, and before that a Management Analyst, at the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, in the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Director’s Office from 2016-2023. Dr. Zelenka obtained a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies with a focus on female leaders in business, in 2023, from the University of the Cumberlands. She is currently enrolled at the University of Baltimore for the online MBA program to finish out her studies with expected completion in 2025.

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Past Meetings

Minority Health and Health Disparities in Neuroscience Webinar Series — Virtual — January 30, 2024 and April 25, 2024

DN works to strengthen knowledge and understanding of aging and AD/ADRD in minority and health disparity populations, to achieve health equity. To this end, DN is hosting the webinar series Minority Health and Health Disparities Research in Neuroscience to provide an opportunity for grantees to share research advances, lessons learned regarding challenges, and opportunities in the field. On January 30, 2024, DN hosted a webinar by Dr. Astrid Suchy-Dicey, who presented on her work on vascular and Alzheimer’s dementias with the Strong Heart Study, including implementation of Community-Based Participatory Methods to recruit and examine over 1,000 American Indian elders from 11 tribes across 3 regions. On April 25, Dr. Sid O’Bryant along with members of his research team (Dr. Alexandra Clark, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Dr. Raul Vintimilla, Assistant Professor, and Mr. Mohammad Housini, Ph.D. Candidate) presented on Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease Across Diverse Populations: Lessons Learned, Opportunities to Advance Science, and Recent Findings in the Health and Aging Brain Study-Health Disparities. More information on DN’s past and upcoming Minority Health and Health Disparities Webinars can be found on our new web page Minority Health and Health Disparities in Neuroscience . For more information, please contact Dallas Anderson ( andersda@nia.nih.gov ), Damali Martin ( martinda@mail.nih.gov ), Maryam Ghaleh ( maryam.ghaleh@nih.gov ), Richard Kwok ( richard.kwok@nih.gov ), Camille Pottinger ( pottingerca@mail.nih.gov ), and Tayona Pearson ( tayona.pearson@nih.gov ).

The Role of the Behavioral and Social Sciences in the Geroscience Agenda — Virtual — February 14 and 29, 2024

This two-day workshop was organized jointly by BSR and the Division of Aging Biology (DAB). This was the second workshop in a series of three planned workshops on the role of the behavioral and social sciences in geroscience research. The first workshop in this series, “The Role of the Behavioral and Social Sciences in the Geroscience Agenda: Bridging Biological and Social Hallmarks of Aging,” held on October 31, 2022, provided a review of existing research on the biological and social hallmarks of aging and began the process of developing shared understanding and terminology across disciplines engaged in geroscience research. The second workshop created a transdisciplinary forum for those in the social and behavioral sciences and those who study aging biology to discuss the frameworks, approaches, and assumptions that guide their research relevant to geroscience, and the challenges and opportunities for collaborative research in this area. Workshop materials will be available online at “The Role of the Behavioral and Social Sciences in Geroscience — Workshop II." For more information, please contact Lis Nielsen ( Lis.Nielsen@nih.gov ), Stacy Carrington-Lawrence ( carringtons@mail.nih.gov ), Emily Hooker ( emily.hooker@nih.gov ), or David Braudt ( david.braudt@nih.gov ).

Electronic Health Records (EHR) Interventions and Behavioral Economics Interventions Grantees Meeting — Virtual — February 21-23, 2024

BSR held a three-day workshop to learn from NIA-funded grantees about progress and future directions in electronic health record (EHR)-based interventions. Workshop participants highlighted gaps, opportunities, and future needs for scaling EHR-based interventions and leveraging learning health networks for aging and AD/ADRD. Sessions included topics such as Detection of Cognitive Impairment, Prescribing, Vaccines, Screening, and Monitoring Care. For more information, please contact Partha Bhattacharyya ( partha.bhattacharyya@nih.gov ) or Rebecca Krupenevich ( rebecca.krupenevich@nih.gov ).

What Bats Can Teach Us About Aging — Virtual — February 23, 2024

Bats (order Chiroptera) are emerging as an important animal model for aging studies. Unlike some common laboratory species, they meet a central criterion for aging studies: they live for a long time—in the wild for 20, 30, and even 41 years. Unlike other animal models that also get old, maintaining captive bat colonies is surprisingly easy and very affordable. Per diem costs are ~100x less than for nonhuman primates (NHP); for example, 50 bats (about 15 grams each) can be housed in the same space as a single NHP. Recent research has uncovered additional and critical advantages of bats: they are closer to humans than rodents are to humans. Similarly, the bat brain shares numerous distinctive features with the human and NHP brain. The “healthy” aging in bats has drawn attention aimed at understanding their imperviousness to viral infections, low apparent rates of tumorigenesis, and special ability to repair DNA, as these may be keys to improving the lives of aging humans. Bats’ longevity also permits the accumulation of age-associated systemic and neuropathology conditions that can be examined in detail or manipulated, especially in captive animals. The attractiveness of the bat as an animal model has spurred efforts to adapt genetic tools that will further expand its utility in the laboratory and fully unlock its enormous potential in aging research. The purpose of this workshop was to gather experts from diverse bat-aging fields that included topics such as reproduction, bone structure and performance, neurobiology, and cellular processes that drive longevity and mitigate aging-related conditions to identify current gaps in knowledge related to the use of this unique model to study the aging process and age-related conditions. For more information, please contact Manuel Moro (301-496-6402 or morom@mail.nih.gov ).

Biology of Aging in Reproductive Tissues Consortium — Virtual — March 5, 2024

This was a one-day virtual meeting for investigators funded under RFA-AG-20-036 ( https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AG-20-036.html ), Biology of Aging in Reproductive Tissues. The investigators highlighted their research progress and achievements and discussed future directions to further the goals of the RFA: understanding cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate aging of the reproductive tissues, including the niche, in gonads, reproductive accessory organs, and the reproductive neuroendocrine system. For more information, please contact Fei Wang (301-443-8187 or fei.wang@nih.gov ) and John Williams (301-496-6403 or williamsj6@mail.nih.gov ).

Genetics Society of America Conference: Session on Disease Models and Aging — Washington, DC (Hybrid) — March 8, 2024

The Allied Genetics Conference 2024 (TAGC24), a Genetics Society of America Conference, brought together ~4,000 scientists from multiple international biological research communities to share cutting-edge science, foster new collaborations, and strengthen existing relationships. The conference focused on Neurogenetics, Aging and Neurodegeneration, Genomes and Genomics, Ecological Genetics, and more. DAB sponsored and was involved in organizing conference sessions on Disease Models and Aging. The presentations were of high relevance to aging biology and the NIA mission. For more information, please contact Max Guo (301-402-7747 or qmguo@mail.nih.gov ).

Clinically Meaningful Outcomes in AD/ADRD Trials — Virtual — March 12-14, 2024

This three-day virtual workshop explored clinically meaningful change in the context of AD/ADRD trials and identified research gaps, opportunities, and tools to advance patient-centered, equitable assessment of clinically meaningful change focusing on biomarker status, cognition, and everyday function. The workshop fostered robust, multidisciplinary discussion between lived experience experts, advocates, researchers, clinicians, funders, health economists, payers, and regulators. The workshop addressed the criteria used to assess whether an intervention has had a clinically meaningful impact, including consideration of both benefit and harm. For more information, please contact Luke Stoeckel ( luke.stoeckel@nih.gov ) or Nicole Kidwiler ( nicole.kidwiler@nih.gov ).

Cognitive Aging Summit IV — Bethesda, MD (Hybrid) — March 20-21, 2024

The Summit was devoted to scientific presentations and discussion of age-related brain and cognitive change, with a particular focus on individual differences and the development of personalized approaches to the remediation of cognitive decline and the maintenance of brain health. For more information, please contact Jonathan W. King ( kingjo@nia.nih.gov ) or Molly V. Wagster ( wagsterm@nia.nih.gov ).

Impacts of Extreme Weather Conditions and Environmental Exposures on Older Adult Health — Virtual — March 26-27, 2024

The background to this two-day workshop, organized by BSR, is the increasing recognition of climate events and the resulting effects that influence health. There is an increasingly urgent need to examine exposures, vulnerabilities, and impacts faced by older adults, along with the behavioral and social pathways through which climate events impact health outcomes and disparities. The first day of the workshop focused on the behavioral and social mechanisms linked to climate exposures that impact older adults in the short and long term and exacerbate existing health inequities. The second day concentrated on understanding adaptations and interventions at the individual, community, and health systems levels. The meeting concluded with discussions to identify research gaps and opportunities, future research directions, as well as data and measurement needs. For more information, please contact Emerald Nguyen ( emerald.nguyen@nih.gov ) or Kait Lee ( kaitlyn.lee@nih.gov ).

Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project (ADSP) Program Review Meeting — Rockville, MD — March 27-28, 2024

The ADSP investigators, advisors, and NIA program staff met for its annual program review. The overarching goals of the ADSP are to: (1) identify new genes involved in AD, (2) identify genetic alleles contributing to increased risk for or protection against the disease, (3) provide insight as to why individuals with known risk factor genes escape from developing AD, (4) identify potential avenues for therapeutic approaches and prevention of the disease, and (5) fully reveal the genetic architecture of AD/ADRD in multiple genetic ancestries and ethnicities. Information about progress to date and plans for 2024 was relayed to ADSP advisors over the two-day meeting. The ADSP is presently comprised of 14 workgroups, with 5 large consortia embracing 52 institutions in the U.S. and abroad. The inter-operability and highly collaborative nature of the ADSP were outlined in the final part of the program review. The ADSP awaits the executive summary from the advisors.

New Investigators in Alzheimer's Disease Meeting — Bethesda, MD — April 9-11, 2024

The purpose of the meeting was to bring together former recipients of the New Investigator Award in Alzheimer’s Disease funded through the American Federation for Aging Research and recent recipients of the Small Research Grant Program for the Next Generation of Researchers in Alzheimer's Disease (R03) funded through NIA. Government and foundation officials were in attendance. Scientific sessions were held along with sessions for networking and career development. For more information, please contact Luci Roberts (301-480-5129 or roberlu@mail.nih.gov ).

Unexplained Anemia Workshop — Bethesda, MD (Hybrid) — April 9-10, 2024

The goal of this workshop was to identify knowledge gaps and research opportunities leading to improved care for older patients with unexplained anemia of aging (UAA). The workshop covered discussions on UAA from basic science to clinical trials and implementation. For more information, please contact Sarah Lewis ( sarah.lewis@nih.gov ).

Molecular Mechanisms and Pathobiology of TDP-43 in Late and Alzheimer's Disease and Its Related Dementias — Virtual — April 9-10, 2024

Proteinopathy of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is observed in multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including AD and limbic predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE). Understanding the heterotypic TDP-43 proteinopathy will identify novel therapeutic avenues for neurodegenerative diseases. This workshop, which included leaders and innovators in the field, was held to identify gaps in our understanding of the mechanisms of TDP-43 aggregation, propagation, mislocalization, and dysfunction of TDP-43 in LATE and AD. Outcomes of this workshop will help identify the critical events in the maintenance of TDP-43 functions and brain health. For more information, please contact Tong Li ( tong.li3@nih.gov ) and Lisa Opanashuk; ( lisa.opanashuk@nih.gov ).

Skin and Cutaneous Wound Healing — Virtual — April 22, 2024

Skin is a first line of defense from external insults such as UV, pollution, chemicals, and harmful microbes. However, age-associated changes in the skin weakens this defense and predisposes the older population to increased skin conditions, infections, trauma, chronic wounds, and skin cancer.
Structural, compositional, and mechanical changes due to aging leads to changes in the epidermis, dermis, and the hypodermis affecting the overall barrier function of the skin. It has been reported that older burn patients account for only 15% of all burn injuries but suffer from high mortality rates due to impaired wound healing with greater risk of multiple organ failure, sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndromes. Similarly, diabetic foot ulcers, venous stasis ulcers, and pressure ulcers also affect the older population disproportionately. The purpose of this workshop was to bring together experts on intrinsic and extrinsic skin aging to understand known and potential relationships among age-related changes in the skin microstructure, barrier function, and cellular responses to wound healing to improve overall skin health as well as wound care among the older population. For more information, please contact Pragati Katiyar (301-496-3121 or pragati.katiyar@nih.gov ).

Cellular Quiescence, Senescence, and Cell Death in Aging — Virtual — April 23, 2024

During the aging process, the hallmarks of aging drive cell fate determinations, leading to the accumulation of senescence cells in old organisms. The cellular decision of going into senescence, quiescence, or death is of profound significance, leading to very different outcomes for cell fate and organismal wellbeing. The molecular underpinnings of how cells acquire senescence or quiescence (a permanent versus transient cell cycle arrest) or undergo cell death is incompletely understood and constitutes a significant gap in knowledge. This one-day workshop addressed this fundamental unresolved question by exploring the mechanisms of how stressed cells choose between senescence, quiescence, and cell death. The influence of aging on this process and potential vulnerabilities of senescent cells to cell death pathways or reversal to quiescence as potential senolytic strategies was also explored. This workshop evaluated the status of the field, defined future directions, evaluated critical needs, and outlined opportunities and priorities to better understand the general mechanisms of aging biology. For more information, please contact Andras Orosz (301-435-7753 or orosza@mail.nih.gov ) and Max Guo (301-402-7747 or Max.Guo@nih.gov ).

Blood-Brain Barrier Transport in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease — Virtual — April 24-25, 2024

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a selective, semipermeable barrier that controls the transport of substances to and from the central nervous system. It is composed of endothelial cells (separated by tight junctions), pericytes, the foot processes of astrocytes, and the basement membrane. The BBB poses a significant obstacle to drug development for diseases and conditions of the aging brain, including AD. BBB dysfunction is also a feature of both aging and AD, characterized in part by increased BBB permeability to harmful toxins, pathogens, and other molecules and cells that are normally prevented from entering the brain. DN sponsored a two-day, virtual workshop on Blood-Brain Barrier Transport in Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease. The purpose of this workshop was to bring together experts in the field to discuss: 1) transport mechanisms in the BBB and how they are altered in aging and AD; 2) tools and models that enable the study of whether and how transport occurs across the BBB (in vitro, in vivo, and in silico); 3) strategies for enabling drugs to cross the BBB, and their preclinical and clinical applications, including how BBB changes in aging and AD may impact drug transport strategies; 4) the BBB as both an obstacle and target for drug development; and 5) gaps and opportunities within the field of BBB transport in aging and AD. For more information, please contact Elizabeth Newman ( elizabeth.newman@nih.gov ).

Measuring Subjective Experience in Alzheimer's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease-Related Dementias — Bethesda, MD — April 24, 2024

The National Advisory Council on Aging’s 2019 review of BSR recommended investment in the development of novel measurement technologies to accelerate discoveries about functional or psychological changes in AD/ADRD. Upon diagnosis of AD/ADRD, future quality of life is often amongst the chief concerns of persons living with AD/ADRD and their caregivers, yet measuring well-being and quality of life often depends upon self-reports of subjective, affective experiences (e.g., pain or pleasure, social connection or loneliness, fear or threat). BSR convened this meeting with thought leaders to help develop broad ideas related to the measurement of subjective, affective experience across the dementia trajectory, with a focus on the development and/or validation of measures that do not fundamentally rely on self-report. For more information, please contact Liz Necka ( Liz.necka@nih.gov ), Melissa Trevino ( melissa.trevino@nih.gov ), Emily Hooker ( Emily.hooker@nih.gov ), or Allie Walker ( allie.walker@nih.gov ).

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Board on Health Care Services (BHCS) Meeting on Improving Measurement and Data Quality in AD/ADRD Research — Washington, DC — April 25, 2024

To explore the topic of improving measurement and data quality in AD/ADRD research, BSR sponsored a NASEM BHCS meeting. Agenda topics included: A Framework to Establish Causation Beyond Association in Observational Studies; Algorithmic Fairness in AD Progression Prediction; and Causal Inference and Machine Learning. For more information, please contact Theresa Kim ( theresa.kim@nih.gov ), Priscilla Novak ( priscilla.novak@nih.gov ), or Charlie Le ( charlie.le@nih.gov ).

NASEM Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) Meeting on Alternative Approaches for Capturing American Diversity: Recruitment, Retention, and Representation — Washington, DC — April 29, 2024

To explore “Alternative Approaches for Capturing American Diversity: Recruitment, Retention, and Representation,” BSR sponsored a NASEM CNSTAT meeting. The meeting focused on the following topics intended to help recruit and maintain participant engagement with aging studies to support sample representation: (1) understanding and connecting with specific populations, (2) approaches to segmenting target audiences and tailoring surveys to respondents, and (3) methods for communicating benefits and incentivizing participation in voluntary activities. For more information, please contact John Phillips ( john.phillips@nih.gov ) or Shanna Breil ( shanna.breil@nih.gov ).

Precision Nutrition To Promote Healthy Aging — Virtual — May 7-8, 2024

Precision nutrition, an emerging nutrition research area, recognizes that individual responses to dietary interventions are influenced by their variabilities in metabolic flexibility, gene-nutrient interactions, epigenetic regulation, microbiome, as well as environmental and social factors. Much of the nascent precision nutrition research has focused on correlative relationships between individual responses to diet and their physiological characteristics in disease conditions including obesity, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and AD. Strategies into improving healthy aging in the context of precision nutrition have not been carefully considered, and mechanistic studies are currently lacking. This workshop aimed to gather experts in various fields related to precision nutrition to discuss the current state of science and identify gaps, challenges, and opportunities to understand the biological mechanisms and different designs, methods, and technologies, and to foster transdisciplinary communication and collaboration, with the goal to translate precision nutrition to promote healthy aging and improve health outcomes in older adults. For more information, please contact Yih-Woei Fridell (301-496-7847 or yih-woei.fridell@nih.gov ) and Yi-Ping Fu (301-496-6009 or yi-ping.fu@nih.gov ).

The Unwinding: Impact of Public Health Emergency Policies on Labor, Housing and Health — Virtual — May 6 and 20, 2024

This workshop explored the impact on older adults of COVID-19 era social support policies, with the goal of asking what can be learned from their creation and conclusion. On Monday, May 6, 2024, presenters reviewed the policies dominating health care coverage and delivery during the Public Health Emergency which ended in mid-2023. Sessions featured presentations and discussions on Medicaid expansion, suspension of Medicaid redeterminations, administering care through telehealth, and changes to care consumption. The workshop continued on Monday, May 20, 2024, which focused on income and labor policies, including family support, paid sick leave, and telework, and housing policies, such as eviction moratoria and emergency rental assistance. The workshop concluded with a discussion of what was learned from this history about what types of social policies best address the health and wellbeing needs of older adults and address health disparities. For more information, please contact Erin Harrell ( erin.harrell@nih.gov ), Kriti Jain ( kriti.jain@nih.gov ), or Priscilla Novak ( priscilla.novak@nih.gov ).

NIA's Grantsmanship Workshop for Investigators From Low- And Middle-Income Countries — Cape Town, South Africa — May 14, 2024

As the primary federal agency supporting and conducting aging and AD/ADRD research, NIA planned and hosted a grantsmanship workshop for scientists from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The workshop was held in conjunction with the Alzheimer’s Association Regional Satellite Symposium in Cape Town, South Africa. The objectives of the workshop were to: 1) increase participation of LMIC scientists in research grantsmanship; 2) help LMIC scientists to develop strategies for sustainable research support and collaborations; 3) encourage scientists to utilize competitive research as a tool to address their needs; and 4) encourage scientists to leverage resources offered through the NIH and NIA. Program officers from the Fogarty International Center, NIMH, and NINDS participated in the workshop. For more information, please contact Damali Martin ( martinda@mail.nih.gov ) and Minki Chatterji ( minki.chatterji@nih.gov ).

Symposium on "Updates on Lung Hallmarks of Aging" at the Annual Meeting of the American Thoracic Society — San Diego, CA — May 20, 2024

Lung aging is associated with molecular and physiological changes that cause alterations in lung function, diminished pulmonary remodeling and regenerative capacity, and increased susceptibility to acute and chronic lung diseases. Recent findings show diverse mechanisms that support a role for several aging hallmarks including senescence, oxidative damage, telomeric maintenance failure, inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction that contribute to lung aging. The purpose of this symposium was to have presentations on state of the science findings on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of aging which contribute to the pathological features of lung aging and pulmonary dysfunction. For more information, please contact Hongwei Gao (301-496-6402 and hongwei.gao@nih.gov ).

Future Meetings

Advanced Care Planning in Primary Care Settings for People With Mild Cognitive Impairment or AD/ADRD — Virtual — May 31, 2024

This virtual workshop will focus on the following topics: (1) when and how Advanced Care Planning (ACP) is appropriate in the event of an AD/ADRD diagnosis, (2) if and when primary care is an appropriate setting for an ACP discussion with people living with dementia and their caregivers, (3) the optimal timing of ACP discussions, and (4) how to best prevent discordant ACP desires between patients and caregivers. For more information, please contact Theresa Kim ( theresa.kim@nih.gov ), Priscilla Novak ( priscilla.novak@nih.gov ), or Charlie Le ( charlie.le@nih.gov ).

The Nineteenth Annual Division of Aging Biology New Investigators Forum (DABNIF) — Madison, WI — June 2-3, 2024

The purpose of the forum is to bring together new awardees (i.e., Principal Investigators who are new to funding by DAB) in the spring/summer of the year following their award to meet and interact with NIA program staff as well as to allow participants to network with each other. To accommodate the large number of participants, each new PI will present a poster describing the planned research (or results to date). In addition to a keynote speaker, sessions will include short “elevator speech” presentations by new awardees, as well as presentations by DAB staff and NIA leadership, on issues such as scope of the science supported by DAB, funding mechanisms, grant review issues, and other related topics. The format will also provide a significantly expanded opportunity for networking among the investigators and plenty of opportunities for interactions with NIA staff. The overriding goal of the meeting is to encourage continued success for the new PIs as well as encourage interactions and collaborations. The format of this forum has been adjusted to reflect the 2023 forum participants’ evaluation. The forum will be held in conjunction with American Aging Association 52nd Annual Meeting. This is an in-person event only. For more information, please contact Christy Carter (301-496-6402 or christy.carter@nih.gov ).

NASEM Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences (BBCSS) Meeting on Fidelity as a Powerful Tool in Aging-Related Behavioral Intervention Research — Virtual — June 5, 2024

BSR will sponsor a BBCSS meeting on the topic of “Fidelity as a Powerful Tool in Aging-Related Behavioral Intervention Research.” Discussion topics will include the rationale and methods for ensuring behavioral intervention fidelity, and the role of fidelity in understanding an intervention’s mechanisms of behavior change. For more information, please contact Melissa Riddle ( melissa.riddle@nih.gov ), Lisa Onken ( lisa.onken@nih.gov ), or Allie Walker ( allie.walker@nih.gov ).

Webinar Series on Common Data Elements — Virtual — June 7, 2024

From April to December 2024, NIA will host a webinar series on Common Data Elements (CDE). The NIA CDE webinar series will allow the NIA community to connect with AD/ADRD and aging research while facilitating discussions about resulting research findings and other information as it relates to CDEs.

Event dates:

• April 16, 2024: Data Harmonization in Research on Epidemiology of Aging
• May 3, 2024: Systematic Data Harmonization Enabled by Generative Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Large Language Models
• June 7, 2024: Application of Computational Data Harmonization Approaches to Study the Structure and Function of AD/ADRD
• July 12, 2024: Data Harmonization of Large Digital Technology Datasets for Aging and Dementia Research in the Context of Short Technology Life Cycles
• December 6, 2024: Harmonization of Cognition Assessment Measures

For more information, please contact Karyn Onyeneho ( Karyn.Onyeneho@nih.gov ) and Irim Azam ( Irim.Azam@nih.gov ).

Mitochondria and the Brain — Virtual — June 17, 2024

This full-day event will feature talks from numerous experts in the field with the aim to expand research on the role of mitochondria in neurodegeneration and dementia. For more information, please contact Sarah Lewis ( sarah.lewis@nih.gov ).

Heterogeneity of Aging: New Perspectives — Rockville, MD — June 21, 2024

This workshop will bring together experts in the field to discuss heterogeneity as it relates to aging, identify gaps in the research, and consider next steps in enhancing the field. The aim of this conference is to gather a group of subject matter experts to 1) learn about methodological approaches to study the heterogeneity of aging, and 2) solicit suggestions about gaps and opportunities in this field of research (for example, for establishing multidisciplinary teams, standardizing measurements, developing models, implementing data sharing, and developing tools for direct experimental and clinical applications). For more information, please contact Sarah Lewis ( sarah.lewis@nih.gov ) or Tiziana Cogliati (240-397-4596 or Tiziana.cogliati@nih.gov ).

An Aging and AD/ADRD Omics Data Ecosystem: Interoperability Challenges and Opportunities — Rockville, MD (Hybrid) — July 11-12, 2024

This workshop builds on the virtual workshop conducted in June 2023, “NIH AD/ADRD Platforms Workshop: FAIRness Within and Across Data Infrastructures” but broadens the focus to include both Aging and AD/ADRD omics data resources across and outside the NIH. The June 2023 workshop established a common framework of what an NIA AD/ADRD data ecosystem could look like, and the major NIA-supported data infrastructures that could be foundational pillars of such an ecosystem. It was determined that subsequent workshops would be necessary to get community input on how to move forward with this overall vision. This follow-up workshop will introduce current challenges in data interoperability and data use and identify strategies and opportunities to establish a more equitable, effective omics data ecosystem to accelerate and improve NIA-supported aging and AD/ADRD research. For more information, please contact Mette Peters ( mette.peters@nih.gov or 301-555-1212), Sharna Tingle ( sharna.tingle@nih.gov or 301-496-9350), and Michael Bennani ( michael.bennani@nih.gov or 301-448-0128).

Exploring the Intersection of HIV and Aging: A Geroscience Perspective — Munich, Germany (Hybrid) — July 21, 2024

The purpose of this workshop is to focus on the translational potential of biological findings, including discoveries related to the hallmarks of aging, into interventions for people living with HIV (PWH) or at risk of HIV acquisition. Several biological changes are thought to bring about the progressive loss of function and the onset of frailty and chronic diseases at older ages. Geroscience is based on the observation that aging is the major risk factor for these progressive declines and that interventions targeting these molecular changes may prevent or delay the onset of aging-related diseases. Much of the currently funded research in geroscience is being conducted in people without HIV, and given the increased risk of aging-related comorbidities and associated mortality in PWH, the objectives of this workshop are to:

• Increase the understanding of how basic mechanisms of aging impact the overall health of PWH;
• Provide currently known information on the epidemiology of and mechanisms that lead to chronic disease, premature morbidity, functional decline, and geriatric syndromes in PWH;
• Highlight potential biomarkers of the aging process in PWH;
• Explore interventions that may prevent and slow premature aging in PWH;
• Enhance cross-fertilization with other aging programs; and
• Develop and circulate a meeting white paper or summary report.

For more information, please contact Ann Namkung (301-496-6838 or ann.namkung@nih.gov ).

NASEM Committee on Population (CPOP) Identifying Midlife Social Exposures That Might Modify Risk for Cognitive Impairment Associated With Early Life Disadvantage Workshop — Washington, DC — August 29-30, 2024

BSR is sponsoring a NASEM CPOP workshop whose goal is to advance understanding of modifiable midlife social, structural, and institutional exposures as pathways linking early life disadvantage to later life cognitive health and dementia risk. Discussions will identify measures, data infrastructure needs, and analytic approaches that can advance causal understanding of how the social exposome in adulthood is shaped by and interacts with early life disadvantage to impact dementia etiology and disparities. Knowledge gained from such approaches can provide an evidence base for structural and institutional policy change to improve outcomes in later life cognitive health and mitigate disparities. For more information, please contact Emerald Nguyen ( emerald.nguyen@nih.gov ).

The NIA/NIDA Special Lecture Series — Baltimore, MD — September 25, 2024

This event will feature a keynote address from Dr. Steve Cummings, international recognized expert on the epidemiology of osteoporosis, women's health, and aging. The NIA/NIDA Special Lecture Series will be held at the Biomedical Research Center in Baltimore, MD. For more information, please contact Aisha McCoy ( Aisha.mccoy@nih.gov ).

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