The Sealy Center on Aging at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) is a leading center for research on minority health and aging. UTMB has hosted an NIA-supported pre-doctoral and postdoctoral training program in minority health and aging since 1999. In the current funding cycle, we request funding for three predoctoral and two postdoctoral positions. We are proposing several important changes in the focus and activities of the minority aging training program for the next funding cycle. Going forward, the T32 training program will focus on two identified core areas of strengths in minority aging research at UTMB: Hispanic and Latin American health and aging, and disparities in health outcomes in older adults. These are areas in which the University has committed substantial resources toward creating new faculty positions and has demonstrated significant success in obtaining peer-reviewed (R01) support. In concert with the recent strategic planning process for the graduate program in Population Health Sciences (where most pre-doctoral trainees are enrolled), we are adopting a revised curriculum for pre-doctoral student education and training. The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Provost's Office have made significant commitments in the past year to enhancing the excellence of graduate education and postdoctoral training and research at UTMB. These commitments include the President's Scholars Program to recruit outstanding graduate students and the establishment of an Office of Postdoctoral Affairs that includes organized training and opportunities in career development and mentoring. We have developed a formal structure and related activities to enhance recruitment and facilitate the placement of our trainees regionally and nationally. We believe that these changes will position trainees for leadership positions among the next generation of aging researchers.

Public Health Relevance

Minority older adults have historically greater barriers to health care access, have unique needs, and are on track for future demographic growth. We aim to recruit promising new investigators to research careers in minority aging. UTMB has the largest enrollment of Mexican American medical students in the continental US as well as internationally recognized scholars of Hispanic aging.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Institutional National Research Service Award (T32)
Project #
5T32AG000270-16
Application #
8663747
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAG1)
Program Officer
Patmios, Georgeanne E
Project Start
1999-08-01
Project End
2016-04-30
Budget Start
2014-05-01
Budget End
2015-04-30
Support Year
16
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas Medical Br Galveston
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
City
Galveston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77555
Garcia, Marc A; Saenz, Joseph L; Downer, Brian et al. (2018) Age of Migration Differentials in Life Expectancy With Cognitive Impairment: 20-Year Findings From the Hispanic-EPESE. Gerontologist 58:894-903
Parker, Susan W; Saenz, Joseph; Wong, Rebeca (2018) Health Insurance and the Aging: Evidence From the Seguro Popular Program in Mexico. Demography 55:361-386
Downer, Brian; Garcia, Marc A; Saenz, Joseph et al. (2018) The Role of Education in the Relationship Between Age of Migration to the United States and Risk of Cognitive Impairment Among Older Mexican Americans. Res Aging 40:411-431
Garcia, Marc A; Saenz, Joseph; Downer, Brian et al. (2018) The role of education in the association between race/ethnicity/nativity, cognitive impairment, and dementia among older adults in the United States. Demogr Res 38:155-168
García, Catherine; Garcia, Marc A; Chiu, Chi-Tsun et al. (2018) Life Expectancies With Depression by Age of Migration and Gender Among Older Mexican Americans. Gerontologist :
Mutambudzi, Miriam; Chen, Nai-Wei; Howrey, Bret et al. (2018) Physical Performance Trajectories and Mortality among Older Mexican Americans. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci :
Garcia, Marc A; Garcia, Catherine; Chiu, Chi-Tsun et al. (2018) Erratum: A Comprehensive Analysis of Morbidity Life Expectancies Among Older Hispanic Subgroups in the United States: Variation by Nativity and Country of Origin. Innov Aging 2:igy019
Garcia, Marc A; Reyes, Adriana M (2018) Physical Functioning and Disability Trajectories by Age of Migration Among Mexican Elders in the United States. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 73:1292-1302
Downer, Brian; González-González, Cesar; Goldman, Noreen et al. (2018) The effect of adult children living in the United States on the likelihood of cognitive impairment for older parents living in Mexico. Ethn Health 23:57-71
Garcia, Marc A; Reyes, Adriana M (2018) Physical Functioning and Disability Trajectories by Age of Migration Among Mexican Elders in the United States. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci :

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