The overarching goal of the Research Education Component (REC) of the Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer?s Disease Research Center (ADRC) at UC San Diego is to support the research education and mentoring of outstanding junior-level scientists (defined as advanced postdoctoral fellows and assistant professors) to advance our understanding of the complex and heterogenous nature of Alzheimer?s disease and related dementias (ADRD). To realize this goal the Shiley-Marcos ADRC REC (1) has developed a detailed recruitment plan to recruit a diverse cadre of outstanding trainees to the program each year, (2) will provide a solid foundational platform to prepare this diverse research workforce with transdisciplinary expertise and ability, and (3) engage our trainees and their mentors in the team science initiatives necessary to meet the ambitious goals of the National Plan to address Alzheimer's Disease to prevent and treat ADRD by 2025. The REC specific aims are to: 1) Develop the careers of advanced postdoctoral and junior faculty researchers, who have demonstrated outstanding research potential and an interest in research focused on understanding factors that affect etiology and outcomes in ADRD; and 2) Provide mentorship, education, career development activities and a broad array of educational and infrastructural resources across the multiple sites afforded by our rich academic and clinical settings (e.g., School of Medicine, main campus, VA, and affiliated institutions such as the Salk Institute for Biological Studies) to enable our REC scientists to enhance their expertise in ADRD research and research methods, successfully complete their research, present and publish their work, and attain independent research and/or career development funding. The Shiley-Marcos ADRC REC program will be directed by four Leaders from the School of Medicine and main campuses at UC San Diego: Dr. Bondi (UCSD ? Psychiatry; VA ? Psychology / Neuropsychology), McEvoy (UCSD - Radiology), Moore (UCSD ? Medicine / Geriatrics) and Patrick (UCSD ? Neurobiology / Biological Sciences). The four Leaders have complementary scientific skills (e.g., basic vs. clinical science), reside in multiple campus localities, and have collaborated to develop this program using the team science model. The Program Faculty have been assembled with the goals of diversity with respect to their disciplines, research and advanced mentoring skills, and affiliations. The REC Leaders will continuously and objectively monitor the effectiveness of the training program, dynamically modifying the program based on feedback from mentors, mentees, and the ADRC Executive Committee, to provide the highest quality training program possible.
