As the population ages, the development of strategies to maintain and even enhance neuronal plasticity and cognitive function in the elderly is a critical priority. This training program in the Neurobiology of Aging is designed to provide high quality research training for select pre and postdoctoral students to prepare them for successful independent careers on the basic mechanisms in the neurobiology of aging. The program, begun in 1983, is designed to provide multidisciplinary training to better understand the basic neural events underlying successful aging, its maintenance and plasticity, the key events that compromise higher cognitive function and lead to Alzheimer's disease. To accomplish this we have assembled a group of senior and junior investigators recognized for their expertise in key areas of research, who have a history and continued motivation to collaborate, and are dedicated to high quality training in the field. The program includes preceptors from departments in the Schools of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Engineering, and Medicine in order to reflect advances in new evolving areas and to train the next generation of researchers. Since the last renewal, the training program has added several new preceptors recently recruited to UCI proving new opportunities for high quality training. The program continues to evolve to include training in several new technologies that range from genomics to transgenic and higher animal models and their application to the neurobiology of aging. In addition, the program offers research opportunities for the study of postmortem human tissues and clinical-pathological studies in order to translate basic findings to the clinical setting. Trainees that enter the program have an opportunity to obtain a well-rounded experience in neurobiology at the same time focus on a subfield of interest. The training program involves hands on experience, a Brain Aging seminar series, specialized didactic training, and individualized training and community awareness. The program has a solid track record of producing quality scientists who enter academia or apply their training and knowledge in industry to address a challenging and serious health problem for the nation and our growing senior population.
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