This Geriatric leadership Academic Award proposal requests support for a major expansion of research and education in geriatrics and gerontology at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, under the direction of James S. Goodwin, who joined UTMB as Head of the Geriatrics Division of the Department of Medicine and Director of the newly formed UTMB center on Aging in July of 1992. The purpose of the center is to promote research and education in gerontology at UTMB as well as to expand ties with the Galveston community and expand and improve geriatric care within the community. UTMB has major strengths the immunology/molecular biology of aging and in minority aging, particularly in epidemiologic research on health of older minority populations. However, there has been no concerted effort to promote basic or clinical research or interdisciplinary research in aging, nor has there been a campus-wide program to promote training in aging research and clinical geriatrics. With the information of the Center on Aging, UTMB is providing funds for a full-time research coordinator and a secretary, and providing partial salary support for a faculty coordinator of geriatric education and an individual to assist junior faculty and trainees in research design and data analysis in studies relevant to aging. We are requesting in this proposal salary support for a coordinator responsible for recruiting and maintaining a cohort of elderly volunteers willing to participate in studies of aging. Support for a nurse practitioner to screen these volunteers is also requested, as well as support for brochure development for this program. We request funds to establish summer research fellowships for health science students, and have identified several senior faculty willing to precept such students in research in gerontology. Finally, support is requested for Dr. Goodwin's salary to increase his time available for Center on Aging activities.
