Infection and Inflammation as Drivers of Aging (IIDA) Predoctoral Training Program

PROJECT SUMMARY The most profound demographic change confronting our world is a dramatic increase in individuals over 65 years of age, projected to reach over 80 million people in the US and 1.5 billion worldwide by 2050. The increasing number of older adults has major socioeconomic ramifications. First, the increase in longevity dramatically increases numbers of older adults with multiple chronic diseases and with reduced quality of life. Second, the challenge of managing the health care of older adults consumes a disproportionally large segment of health care dollars. Therefore, biomedical innovations must target increasing resilience and healthspan in older adults. The COVID-19 pandemic starkly illuminated the heightened risk of viral infection in the elderly. Robust and expanded training in biomedical sciences pertinent to the biology of aging is critical to address the needs of the growing number of older adults. Our T32 renewal application is a multidisciplinary program designed to train pre-doctoral investigators (6 per year) to define mechanisms underlying the roles of Infection and Inflammation as Drivers of Aging (IIDA). The IIDA training program is comprised of basic scientists, clinicians, and public health mentors at the University of Arizona (UArizona), a top 20 public Research I University, recognized for its training history in the field of basic biomedical research and for its commitment to mentoring, diversity (designated Hispanic-Serving Institution) and cross-disciplinary training. To address the complex challenges of aging, we propose a graduate-level training program with 3 major synergistic themes: (i) inflammation and immunity in aging, (ii) persistent infection in aging, and (iii) inflammation and age-related pathology. The 27 NIH-funded faculty supporting this training program have expertise in infection, inflammation, immunology, and age-related pathologies. The training program is supported by a number of UArizona strengths in aging, basic sciences, clinical practice, and public health. The goal of the IIDA is to harness these strengths to train the next generation in the underserved area of infection and inflammation as drivers of the aging process. Extensive institutional support, state-of-the-art core facilities, and clinical and public health mentorship will enhance the training experience. IIDA trainees will be exposed to cutting-edge, innovative science through the participation in colloquia, seminars, data blitzes, and journal clubs, as well as through their engagement with the EAB, the training faculty, and distinguished scientists in the aging field. IIDA also provides unique opportunities to students to develop professional skills in advocacy and networking. IIDA also has a robust underrepresented population (URP) outreach plan and diversity-building component. IIDA program provides exceptional training for the next generation of diverse scientists to advance our understanding of the biological basis of aging processes and develop strategies to enhance resilience and healthspan.