The goal of the Research Development Core (RDC) is to train junior faculty members to become future academic leaders in basic, clinical and health services research directed toward improving the independence of older persons and to support innovative pilot research designed to develop new interventions that will promote independent functioning in older individuals. Related goals involve attracting new faculty from various disciplines into aging research and serving as a resource in aging education and research to the UCLA community. Features of the RDC include: (1) a CDA program comprised of 3-5 junior faculty members and their mentorship committees in a structured interdisciplinary program that provides integrated training in mechanistic and outcomes research, and promotes faculty career development; (2) a pilot grants program to encourage the development of new basic, clinical and health services research approaches to promote independence in older adults; (3) an organized program of instruction to enhance the research training of all junior faculty and fellows, the latter representing our future junior faculty; (4) a Research Development Mentorship panel, comprised of senior faculty with a wide range of expertise, to provide junior faculty awardees with individualized interdisciplinary training in required areas; and (5) an interdisciplinary RDC Committee to monitor the progress of RDC awardees and assure that the RDC contributes to the enhancement of aging-related research and training at UCLA. Over the past nine years, the RDC has provided CDAs to 13 UCLA junior faculty members from a variety of disciplines and has supported 30 pilot research projects relevant to OAIC goals, the vast majority of which have developed into funded major research grants. Building on this experience, during the proposed new five-year period of support at least 11 additional junior faculty members will undergo an intensive three-year CDA training experience in relevant areas of basic, clinical and outcomes/health services research. Five established CDA programs will be continued from the present award period through the first 1-2 years of the new cycle to complete three years of training for the awardees. After YR 11, the RDC will annually support three continuing CDA programs that combine mechanistic and outcomes research training and experience. In addition, each year the RDC will support 3-4 innovative pilot research projects that examine the basic, clinical, and/or health service aspects of aging disorders relevant to the goals of the OAIC. The key personnel in the RDC are the Core Director, Theodore J. Hahn, M.D., and the Co-Directors Rita Effros, Ph.D., Gail A. Greendale, M.D., and Teresa Seeman, Ph.D.
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