An official website of the United States government
Roybal Program Description
The NIA’s Division of Behavioral and Social Research currently supports Roybal Centers, funded through RFA-AG-24-006 and RFA-AG-24-007 , as well as a Coordinating Center, funded through RFA-AG-24-008 . The Roybal Center program aims to translate and integrate basic behavioral and social research findings into interventions that improve the lives of older people and increase institutional capacity to adapt to societal aging.
Roybal Centers are structured within the conceptual framework of the multidirectional, translational NIH Stage Model , which fosters the integration of basic science within the behavioral intervention development process, with the goal of creating potent and implementable interventions that are defined by their principles. While the Model is non-prescriptive, to achieve its goals researchers are encouraged to consider issues of the intervention’s mechanisms of behavior change and scalability as early as possible, and as often as necessary. Roybal Centers support the full range of activities in Stage 0 through IV to lay the groundwork for the successful dissemination and implementation of these interventions. Roybal Centers also may support Stage V research on dissemination and implementation (D&I) strategies, with a goal of seeking to achieve an understanding of the principles (or mechanisms) that govern effective D&I strategies.
Each Roybal Center offers an opportunity to propose early-stage clinical trials.
| Center | Institution | Principal Investigator (PI) |
|---|---|---|
| The Roybal Center for Therapeutic Optimization using Behavioral Science | Brigham And Women's Hospital | Niteesh K. Choudhry, M.D., Ph.D. |
| USC-Yale Roybal Center for Behavioral Interventions in Aging | University of Southern California | Jason Doctor, Ph.D. |
| NBER Roybal Center for Behavior Change in Health | National Bureau of Economic Research | Joseph J. Doyle, Ph.D. & Marcella Alsan, M.D., Ph.D. |
| Columbia Roybal Center for Fearless Behavior Change | Columbia University Health Sciences | Ian M. Kronish, M.D., M.P.H. & Nathalie Moise, M.D., M.S. |
| Roybal Center for Elder Mistreatment Intervention Research | University of Texas Health Sciences Center - Houston | Carolyn E. Ziminski Pickering, Ph.D., R.N. & Michael Cannell, Ph.D., M.P.H. |
| Cornell Roybal Center - Translational Research Institute on Pain in Later Life | Weill Medical College of Cornell University | Manney C. Reid, M.D. & Elaine Wethington, Ph.D. |
| The Penn Roybal Center on Behavioral Economics and Health: Solving for Scale and Impact with Design Thinking, Digital Platforms, and Dynamic Adaptation | University of Pennsylvania | Kevin Volpp, M.D., Ph.D. & Alison Buttenheim, Ph.D., M.B.A. |
Roybal Centers for Translational Behavioral Research on Dementia Care, Caregiver Support, and Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (AD/ADRD)
These Roybal Centers focus on developing interventions that improve the health, well-being, and/or capacity of persons living with dementia (PLWD) and individuals and/or systems that provide care to persons with AD/ADRD, as well as to develop behavioral interventions to help prevent or delay cognitive decline and AD/ADRD. Roybal Centers at the following P30 sites conduct mechanism-focused research to develop and test behavioral interventions addressing a variety of AD/ADRD-relevant topics, including:
- Mitigating cognitive decline and preventing AD/ADRD
- Promoting physical activity for PLWD and those who provide care for them
- Tailoring dementia care in home and community settings
- Using technology to facilitate memory and cognitive function in high-risk populations for AD/ADRD
- Using digital technology to delay AD/ADRD
- Improving the mastery of skills of informal caregivers for PLWD
- Sustaining healthy lifestyles for persons with AD/ADRD
- Dyadic behavioral interventions for PLWD and their caregivers in hospitals and communities
The Roybal Centers for Translational Behavioral Research on Dementia Care, Caregive Support, and Prevention of AD/ADRD include:
Edward R. Roybal Coordinating Center
The Roybal Coordinating Center (RCC) serves as a hub for the Roybal Center grant program to (1) facilitate and coordinate trans-Roybal activities, (2) foster collaboration between Roybal centers, (3) highlight and disseminate significant Roybal Center research findings, and (4) create and maintain a system for continued evaluation of Roybal Center progress and products. Some services currently include providing administrative support for annual research presentations and Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) meetings, coordination of Roybal site information, and training opportunities for early career researchers. Additionally, the Coordinating Center shares information about ongoing and upcoming opportunities for early-stage research funding offered by the Roybal centers. RCC works alongside the NIA Program Officer and Roybal sites to manage requests generated by key Roybal site personnel, NIA, NIH, the scientific community, and the general public.
More information about the RCC can be found below:
| Center | Institution | Principal Investigator (PI) |
|---|---|---|
| Roybal Resource and Coordinating Center to Accelerate Translational Aging Research | Feinstein Institute for Medical Research | Karina Davidson, Ph.D. |
Opportunities to Engage with the Roybal Centers
The Roybal Centers host webinars, workshops, and disseminate information about opportunities for aging and AD/ADRD intervention researchers. Visit the Roybal Resource and Coordinating Center's Announcements page for the most up to date information. Multiple Roybal Centers are accepting proposals for clinical trials aligned with their research endeavors. For further information on proposal opportunities including research focus, funding details, submission process, and application deadlines, visit the Roybal Coordinating Center's Funding Opportunities page.
Roybal Centers Scientific Scope
Roybal Centers for Translational Research on Aging
These Roybal Centers focus on developing interventions that improve the health and well-being of people as they are aging, designed for use at the individual, family, dyad, group, community, institutional, or health systems level. Roybal Centers at the following P30 sites conduct mechanism-focused research to develop and test behavioral interventions addressing a variety of topics, including:
- Evidence-based use of prescription medications
- Reducing the over- and underuse of health services in aging populations
- Optimizing interactions with the health care system
- Coping with psychological distress, fear, and anxiety
- Reducing and preventing elder mistreatment
- Reducing later-life pain
- Preventing premature aging
The Roybal Centers for Translational Research on Aging include:
DBSR