Research Education Component

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT – RESEARCH EDUCATION COMPONENT (REC) A priority of the 2020 National Institute on Aging report, Strategic Directions for Research 2020-2025, is to “attract and train more researchers from diverse scientific and cultural backgrounds”. Since 1997, the Center for Aging in Diverse Communities (CADC) at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) has been refining its highly successful mentoring program to increase the number of very skilled, early-stage diverse investigators with successful and sustained careers in health disparities research with older populations (aging- related health disparities research). The primary role of CADC’s REC is to provide comprehensive mentoring, education and training, and career development to diverse scientists focused on the CADC research theme of understanding the multilevel social and behavioral mechanisms of health disparities that impact older adults and developing community and practice-based interventions to achieve health equity. We do this under the scientific leadership and coordination of the Leadership Administrative Core (LAC), and in collaboration with the Analysis Core (AnC). During the 2018-2023 cycle, CADC’s REC has mentored 20 CADC Scientists (19 pilot and one Diversity Supplement recipient). Since becoming CADC Scientists, those 20 investigators have made significant contributions to aging-related health disparities research by publishing 196 articles (87 or 44% as first or last author) and securing 52 new grants as PI or MPI. In this proposed renewal the 9 CADC Mentor Faculty (including 4 alumni CADC Scientists) collectively have decades of aging-related health disparities research experience and a robust track record of mentoring diverse early-stage investigators in establishing sustained research careers. The CADC REC proposes the following specific aims: 1) select 3-4 CADC Scientists per year from diverse backgrounds who have proposed innovative pilot research projects focused on the research theme of the Center; 2) deliver our comprehensive mentoring program to CADC Scientists to help them develop independent, sustained careers in aging-related health disparities research; and 3) deliver a robust education program to our CADC Scientists focused on research topics and methods relevant to aging- related health disparities research. To achieve these aims, two alumni CADC Scientists (from 2018-2023 cycle) joining our faculty will enhance our program by further diversifying CADC’s faculty and leadership, and through near-peer mentorship to our Scientists. We will expand the REC’s reach via an affiliation with Hispanic serving University of California Merced (UCM), deepen collaborations with synergistic NIH supported aging- related centers and programs at UCSF, and create additional mentorship, educational, and networking opportunities for CADC Scientists during our new annual retreat, and through our innovative Mentor Resource Group, comprising highly experienced aging-researchers from across UCSF. Through comprehensive mentorship, robust education and innovation, CADC’s REC will build on its already strong record of promoting research workforce diversity, with the goal of meeting the needs of aging populations to achieve health equity.