Institutional NRSA in Support of Mechanisms of Aging and Dementia Training Program

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This new proposal is a request forfunding of a broadly-based postdoctoral and pre-doctoral Mechanisms of Agingand Dementia Training Program from the Northwestern University Institute forNeuroscience (NUIN). Funding to support four advanced pre-doctoral candidates,after they have begun full-time thesis research, and four postdoctoraltrainees, in early or later stages of training, is requested. This trainingprogram has developed from a multi-disciplinary group of investigators whosework focuses on the mechanisms of aging and dementia, in particularAlzheimer s Disease, with approaches spanning molecular, cellular, systems,behavioral, neuropsychological and clinical neuroscience, including four withcurrent NIH MERIT awards, one with a Javits award and one who is a HowardHughes Investigator. Seven of the 23 faculty preceptors are women, includingthe Associate Director. These faculty are affiliated with NUIN, the CognitiveNeurology and Alzheimer s Disease Center that has an NIA-supported Alzheimer?sDisease Center grant, and the Buehler Center on Aging. The program will bedirected by John Disterhoft, Ph.D., with the assistance of Sandra Weintraub,Ph.D. (Associate Director), an Internal Steering Committee and an ExternalAdvisory Committee. The four postdoctoral and four pre-doctoral trainees willconduct their research under the guidance of 23 preceptors from 10 departmentsof 2 schools on the Chicago and Evanston campuses of Northwestern University.Postdoctoral trainees will be selected on the basis of previous training and aresearch plan. Pre-doctoral trainees will be selected from NUIN and theMedical Scientist Ph.D. Training Program on the basis of course performance,rotation, and the relevance of the proposed dissertation research. Specialconsideration will be given to trainees whose research plans areinterdisciplinary and carried out in more than one preceptor laboratory. Aconcerted effort will be made to recruit women and minorities. The programwill offer a broad range of interdisciplinary research and trainingopportunities in both fundamental and clinical approaches to aging anddementia research. The preceptor faculty will assist and monitor traineeprogress through formal advising and evaluations, through the classroom, andthrough informal discussions. In addition to providing research training, theprogram will help trainees develop skills in written and oral communication,grant writing, networking, and career development. Instilling a clearawareness of ethical issues facing neuroscientists and responsible conduct inscience will be another training goal.