Research Education Core

7. Project Summary: REC The purpose of the Research Education Core (REC) is to foster the career development of junior faculty from multiple disciplines into scientists focusing on the restoration of function in order to improve function in those with impairments and prevent or delay further progression in those who are already disabled (i.e., enablement). The REC supports Scholars and affiliated faculty (who are former Scholars or junior faculty with career development awards related to our mission) in mentor-based research training and other activities which create a supportive research community. The UM-OAIC has a successful 25-year history of training that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries to develop scientists conducting novel research to maintain and improve independence in older adults. The UM- OAIC REC has several unique elements: • It attracts and brings together junior faculty from multiple backgrounds, departments and schools at UM in Baltimore, Baltimore County and (soon) College Park into a supportive research community; • it uses a structured Faculty Development Plan, which enhances training experiences, to guide and measure Scholar’s progress; • it integrates the UM-OAIC with other UM career development programs to create group and individualized training in functional impairments in older adults and scientific communication for each Scholar; and • it develops Research Working Groups, individualized to each Scholar’s project, to pursue and facilitate interdisciplinary studies focused on bi-directional translational research projects related to the UM-OAIC theme. The outcomes of this training program for the Scholar include the preliminary data and peer reviewed publications for a successful career development award application. The specific aims of the REC are to: 1) Recruit and retain REC Scholars and affiliated faculty committed to research careers congruent with the UM-OAIC mission; 2) Train REC Scholars and affiliated faculty through mentored research projects and individualized training plans which use the resources of the UM-OAIC, the national OAIC network and other NIA supported programs; 3) Develop a Leadership Academy to prepare the next generation of scientist to lead research on older adults; and 4) Evaluate the UM-OAIC REC. With this renewal, the REC is on the forefront of research training and developing junior faculty into scientists that solve the clinical problems that result in the loss of independence for older adults.