USC/UCLA Center on Biodemography and Population Health

The USC/UCLA Center on Biodemography and Population Health (CBPH) represents a unique and highly successful collaboration between the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology of the University of Southern California (USC) and the Multi-campus Program in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology in the Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), each of which focuses exclusively on research and teaching on aging. The CBPH has a longstanding role as a leader in efforts to promote theory-based integration of biological measurement into population-based studies, on-going development and validation of biological measurement protocols, and theoretically motivated research on the biological mechanisms by which social, economic, psychological, medical and environmental factors “get under the skin” to influence the process of health change with age. The CBPH has developed unique clinical and laboratory infrastructure and pilot projects to improve understanding and use of biodemographic indicators, increase indicators available to population studies, support more reliable and valid collection of data across a large number of national and international surveys, and made advances in measurement and validation that allow population surveys to keep pace with scientific advances in the science of aging. This application proposes a set of activities designed to (i) expand and enhance theoretical development of the field of biodemography so that we focus on a new generation of biomarkers reflecting molecular and cellular processes that reflect the basic mechanisms of aging, (ii) continue efforts to attract new and promising researchers to the field, and (iii) enhance our Center’s unique role in supporting development, validation, implementation and dissemination of new and better biodemographic measurement protocols. The specific aims of the CBPH will be to: (1) support and foster biodemographic research to understand the multiple and interacting factors that affect population health, with a particular focus on expanding and deepening our understanding of the biological pathways through which experiences and exposures over the life-course impact trajectories of health and how such influences may vary across subgroups and settings); (2) further develop an active biodemographic research community by engaging established and promising junior researchers in a network of scholars who can help advance biodemographic research; (3) fund pilot projects to support cutting-edge biodemographic research; and (4) support development and dissemination of new research technologies, methodologies and data for use in biodemographic research and population surveys. Such advances are needed to support development of models of population health that provide much needed evidence for policy planners regarding the most effective points of intervention to improve population health and reduce health disparities. The CBPH has developed the infrastructure, resources and expertise to accomplish its goals and continue its significant leadership role in advancing biodemographic research on aging.