Research Education Core

RESEARCH EDUCATION SUMMARY As the population of older adults increases dramatically, age-related illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) present a great public health burden. Comprehensive training is required to effectively and efficiently develop future leaders poised to make the next breakthroughs in ADRD. The Columbia University (CU) ADRC Research Education Component (REC) is uniquely positioned to provide this training. In its inaugural cycle, the REC has identified, supported and trained 16 early career investigators drawn from clinical, basic, translational and epidemiologic fields, as well as fields beyond traditional pathways to ADRD, with promise for becoming leaders in the field of ADRD research. These REC scholars have engaged in a range of distinct and complementary training activities including a monthly REC seminar covering core scientific topics in ADRD, and a monthly joint seminar with RCMAR to provide specific training in the study of at-risk ADRD populations. Additionally, REC scholars participated in a broad range of didactic opportunities including clinical shadowing, professional development sessions, grant writing workshops, scientific talks, and dissemination of research findings to the community via the ADRC newsletter. Ten of the sixteen scholars were awarded funding to carry out multi-year, mentored pilot research. REC scholars have made progress toward a variety of metrics, with six securing grant funding, seven with NIH grants under review, four preparing NIH grants for submission, and four receiving promotions. Scholars actively publish in peer-reviewed journals, collectively producing 33 papers during their REC tenure with an additional twelve under review. In the next cycle of the grant, the REC proposes to both continue and enhance the established training program, by providing didactics to a larger community of earlier career investigators, collaborating with the ORE Core to provide REC scholars with skills in inclusive research practices, synergizing with the wider community of training programs to strengthen the ADRD training pipeline, and creating opportunities for REC scholars to develop mentorship skills. Together, the aims of the REC directly support the goals of the CU ADRC by providing comprehensive training to the next generation of ADRD scientists with emphasis on the center’s themes including emerging pathways-pathologies relationships in ADRD, the way in which such relationships are influenced by the lived experience of older adults, and best practices for investigating at-risk ADRD populations.