HARVARD MENTORED CLINICAL SCIENTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

This revised competing renewal proposal seeks support to continue a highly successful, NIA-funded Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Program Award. The program represents a major, multidisciplinary and interdepartmental collaboration among the medical school, school of public health, as well as the affiliated institutions in the Longwood Medical Area and around Boston. We have increased our efforts at recruiting candidates widely, including those who are members of under-represented minorities in aging research, and those who are from other medical schools including schools of osteopathy. We have provided information on eight superb prospective trainee candidates of which five are women, three are African American, one is Hispanic, and one is a doctor of osteopathy working with underserved elderly (including Native Americans) in rural Maine. Many of these candidates are interested in pursuing research in public and social medicine, especially the care of minority elderly in the underserved, inner-city and underserved rural communities of America. The proposed Program is designed to support and enhance research experience in several interrelated gerontologic disciplines. Six specific areas will be emphasized. These are (1) cardiovascular disease, (2) cell proliferation disorders, (3) neurodegenerative disease and dementia, (4) endocrine/renal dysfunction, (5) geriatric syndromes, and (6) public health. More than 50 experienced, well-funded faculty scientists (20 of whom are women), many of whom are established gerontologic investigators, will serve as potential primary or secondary mentors for the clinician scientist trainees. A dual mentoring system has been implemented to ensure ongoing exposure to gerontologic/geriatric expertise and orientation. Ultimately, we plan to develop the trainees into clinician investigators who can facilitate the translation of important research findings into improved care for all older Americans.