Translational Capabilities: Training programs

Expand existing and create new integrative training programs for early career neuroscience, behavioral and social science researchers that include training in aging biology, systems biology, geriatrics, all aspects of data science as well as traditional and emerging drug discovery disciplines. These efforts should include cross-disciplinary training programs in AD, aging, epidemiology, neuropsychology, environmental health, genomics, and data science to enhance the workforce needed for research on gene-environment interactions in AD and AD health disparities.

2024 PAR-17-052: Research Career Enhancement Award to Advance Therapy Development for Alzheimer's (K18) RFA-AG-17-063: Institutional Training Programs to Advance Translational Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and AD Related Dementias (T32) PAR-18-524: Institutional Training Programs to Advance Translational Research on Alzheimer's Disease and AD Related Dementias (T32) PAR-21-112: Institutional Training Programs to Advance Translational Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and AD Related Dementias (T32) RFA-AG-18-002: Alzheimer’s-Related Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research (AD-RCMAR) (P30) RFA-AG-19-001: Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (P30) RFA-AG-20-004: Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (P30) RFA-AG-19-007: Roybal Centers for Translational Research on Dementia Care Provider Support (P30) RFA-AG-20-031: Research Education: Short Courses on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) RFA-AG-20-032: MD-PhD Training Program in Alzheimer's Disease and Its Related Dementias and the Behavioral and Social Sciences (T32) RFA-AG-21-027: MD-PhD Training Program in Alzheimer's Disease and Its Related Dementias and the Behavioral and Social Sciences (T32) PAS-19-391: Small Research Grant Program for the Next Generation of Researchers in AD/ADRD Research: Area of Focus Archiving and Leveraging Existing Data Sets for Analyses (Reissue of RFA-AG-19-003) NOT-AG-21-027: Notice of Participation of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) in PAR-21-230 "Chronic, Non-Communicable Diseases and Disorders Across the Lifespan: Fogarty International Research Training Award (NCD-LIFESPAN) (D43 Clinical Trial Optional) PAR-21-141: AD/ADRD Clinical Trials Short Course (R25) RFA-AG-22-010: Short Courses on Interdisciplinary Behavioral and Social Sciences Research on ADRD (R25) PAR-21-112: Institutional Training Programs to Advance Translational Research on Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (T32) PAR-21-217: NIA Postdoctoral Fellowship Award to Promote Diversity in Translational Research for AD/ADRD (F32 Clinical Trial Not Allowed PAR-21-218: NIA Predoctoral Fellowship Award to Promote Diversity in Translational Research for AD/ADRD (F31) PAR-21-220: NIA Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Awards to Promote Diversity in Translational Research for AD/ADRD (K99/R00 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) RFA-AG-23-025: Alzheimer's-related Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research (AD/ADRD RCMAR) (P30 Clinical Trial Optional) (Reissue of RFA-AG-18-002) RFA-AG-25-025: Short Courses promoting cross-national analyses using data from the International Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) (R25 Clinical Trial Not allowed) PAR-25-247: Institutional Training Programs to Advance Translational Research on Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (ADRD) (T32 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) RFA-AG-25-031: Small Research Grant Program for the Next Generation of Researchers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) for Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (ADRD) Research (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) 4.J Achieved Expand existing and create new integrative training programs for junior neuroscience, behavioral and social science researchers... DN 2015 AD Summit: 1.J, 4.D, and 4.E 2017 Dementia Care Summit: 5.4 2018 AD Summit: 4.N, 5.M and 6.J 2021 AD Summit: 1.J Blog: New and Early-Career Researchers: Catalyze Your Career with the Butler-Williams Scholars Program in 2020! Blog: Innovative Ideas and Investigators Wanted for Alzheimer's and Related Dementias Research Workshop: Principles and Techniques for Improving Preclinical Translation in Alzheimer's Disease NIA Blog: Promoting diversity in Alzheimer’s data science and drug discovery research Blog: Hands-on training to set the standard for Alzheimer’s drug discovery, May 8-12 Translational Tools, Infrastructure, and Capabilities Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers Alzheimer’s-Related Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research (AD-RCMAR) AD RCMAR Centers NIA Website RCMAR Coordinating Center Website AD Roybal Centers NIA website NIA IMPACT Collaboratory: Transforming Dementia Care RCMAR 2019 GSA Pre-Conference: Strategies for Successful Recruitment and Retention of Minority Elders: An NIA Priority Area Institutional Training Programs to Advance Translational Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and AD Related Dementias 2019-2021 Drug Discovery for Neurodegeneration Conferences ADDF 14th Annual Drug Discovery for Neurodegeneration Workshop Improving Preclinical Translation in Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute on Methods and Protocols for Advancement of Clinical Trials in ADRD (IMPACT AD) Select projects funded in FY21 The Agile Nudge University Program Projects funded under PAR-21-141 in FY22 Improving Preclinical Translation in Alzheimer's Disease Research 2016

  • Enhance existing and establish new institutional training programs as well as fellowship and career development programs to develop a diverse translational and data science workforce.
  • Create a series of cross-disciplinary career development programs in AD/ADRD for early-stage scientists that are under-represented in the scientific workforce.
  • Use multiple funding mechanisms such as training and conference grants, to promote the adoption of best practices for rigorous and reproducible research and propagation of open science principles among early career scientists.

Summary of Key Accomplishments

NIA supports multiple initiatives devoted to interdisciplinary training and career development for early career investigators.

For example, in 2023, NIA funded the sixth cycle of the Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR) program. This iteration includes two new and seven renewing AD/ADRD-focused RCMARs, along with a new National Coordinating Center. The AD/ADRD RCMAR program aims to diversify the AD/ADRD research workforce in priority areas of social, behavioral, psychological, and economic research related to AD/ADRD by mentoring promising scientists from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, it seeks to develop a research and mentoring infrastructure to foster rigorous research that can lead to scientific advances in these priority areas.

Additionally, the Institutional Training Programs to Advance Translational Research on AD/ADRD provides junior investigators with the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct rigorous and cutting-edge translational research for AD/ADRD. Eleven training programs have been established via this initiative.

Furthermore, NIA and the Alzheimer’s Association jointly fund the Institute on Methods and Protocols for Advancement of Clinical Trials in ADRD (IMPACT-AD) program, which aims to expand and diversify the dementia and clinical trials workforce through focused, interactive, and multidisciplinary training. NIA also established the NIA Research and Entrepreneurial Development Immersion (REDI) program, which provides bio-entrepreneurship training to boost the number of university startups and facilitate more diverse career opportunities for early-career scientists working in the fields of aging and aging-related diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease.

NIA has also issued opportunities for short interdisciplinary courses offered to a wide range of researchers, including junior investigators, on a variety of topics. Collectively, these initiatives aim to enable the development of a diverse research workforce that can effectively participate in, and/or lead impactful research in AD/ADRD. As one example, NIA also supports an immersion workshop focused on providing participants with practical, hands-on laboratory training in in vivo drug screening methodologies.

NIA also supports a wide variety of training programs for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as postdoctoral researchers and other early career scientists and entrepreneurs. As one example, NIA’s Advancing Diversity in Aging Research (ADAR) through Undergraduate Education program engages students, including those from diverse backgrounds, in aging and AD/ADRD research. Several ADAR awards provide education in interdisciplinary AD/ADRD-related research enhancing education, clinical, and community experiences, and more than 450 students participated in various ADAR programs in 2023.

The key accomplishments summary is current as of June 2024.