Geroscience Education and Training (GET) Network
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PROJECT ABSTRACT/SUMMARY Aging is by far the main risk factor for chronic conditions that jointly account for most morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Geroscience-guided therapies seeking to alleviate such disorders as a group by targeting basic aging processes are now entering early stage clinical trials. The discovery, validation, and implementation into routine clinical care of such transformational therapies will require the creation of a robust and diverse geroscience workforce and training pipeline. The focus of this application is to address manpower, training, and educational gaps that were identified at a 2017 conference on this topic funded by an earlier Geroscience Network R24 grant (AG044396) with findings published in JAGS (Newman et al., 2019). We are now proposing to create the NIA Geroscience Education and Training (GET) Network through the R25 funding mechanism (PAR-20-095) as a complementary “sister” network to the Translational Geroscience Network (TGN; R33 AG061456), since educational, curricular, and training goals outlined in this proposal were not suitable for inclusion in a R33 grant. More specifically, we are proposing the creation of a network model designed to leverage and integrate relevant expertise, knowledge, and resources across multiple institutions and organizations to address the following Specific Aims: Aim 1: Develop shared geroscience curricula and educational materials initially targeting: 1A. Medical and 1B. PhD students needing foundational geroscience knowledge irrespective of career plans 1C. Geriatric Medicine Fellows who require a deeper level of geroscience knowledge Aim 2: Develop a Certificate in Geroscience Research Program to train the next generation of geroscience researchers by offering multidisciplinary training in geroscience. Track 1 will address the specific training needs of basic scientists Track 2 will focus on clinicians and others conducting human subject research. This cross-institutional program would be accessible to all eligible trainees wishing to pursue a career in geroscience. Aim 3: Ensure optimal dissemination of the educational materials developed through this award. 3A. Videotaped lectures and other educational materials will be posted on POGOe with feedback surveys 3B. Our longer-range goal is to create a Geroscience Section in UpToDate®–an evidence-based, continually updated resource to ensure sustainability beyond the life of this NIA award
