Melissa S. Gerald, Ph.D. (She/her/hers)National Institute on Aging

Division of Behavioral and Social Research

2

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

1 2 3 4 5

NIA Mission + Strategic

Directions for Research &

CHIME

Support and conduct genetic, biological, clinical, behavioral, social, and economic research on aging.

4

NIA Mission & CHIME

Foster the development of research and clinician scientists in aging.

Provide research resources.

Disseminate information about aging and advances in research to the public, health care professionals, and the scientific community, among a variety of audiences.

1. Understanding the Dynamics of the Aging Process

2. Improving the Health, Well-Being, and Independence of Adults as They Age

3. Supporting the Research Enterprise

5

NIA Mission & CHIME

6

CHIME + NIA’s other RCMARs

• Center for Health Improvement for Minority Elders• Asian Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research• Deep South Resource Center for Minority Aging Research• University of Florida Resource Center for Minority Aging

Research• Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research• Center for Aging in Diverse Communities• Native Elder Research Center• The Texas Resource Center on Minority Aging Research• Stanford Aging & Ethnogeriatrics Transdisciplinary

Collaborative Center• Center for Improving Care Delivery for the Aging_____________________________________________________________________

• Michigan Center for Contextual Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease• Native Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center for Minority

Aging Research• Minority Aging Health Economics Research Center• Carolina Center on Alzheimer’s Disease and Minority Research• Rio Grande Valley Alzheimer’s Resource Center for Minority

Aging Research: Partnerships for Progress• Columbia Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Alzheimer’s

Disease Disparities• San Diego Resource Center for advancing Alzheimer’s

Research in Minority Seniors• The Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center for

Minority Aging Research

+ The RCMAR National Coordinating Center

Goal G: Support the infrastructure and resources needed to promote high-quality research.

Supporting the Research Enterprise

Improving the Health, Well-Being, and Independence of Adults as They Age

Goal F: Understand health disparities related to aging and develop strategies to improve the health status of older adults in diverse populations.

Credit: thegrayingofaids.org

AD/ADRD Topic Areas

9

Target Target these mechanisms to modify individual behaviors & social contexts to promote health and prevent disease

Identify Identify the causal mechanisms that account for observed associations

Elucidate Elucidate the pathways by which social, psychological, economic, and behavioral factors affect health

BSR supports social, behavioral, and economic research and training on aging processes at the individual, dyadic,

group, population, and societal levels.

Health, function, and well-being; not disease-focused

Use-inspired basic research and mechanisms-focused intervention science - NIH Stage Model & Science of Behavior Change (SOBC)

Life course approach to studying aging processes

NIA/BSR’s work …

Midlife prevention of the chronic diseases of aging; reversibility & redirection of adverse aging trajectories

Promotes rigorous approaches to understanding and advancing behavior change at the individual and organizational levels

NIA priorities and funding

opportunities

COVID-19 Alzheimer’s disease and

related dementias

Social determinants of

health

Science of behavior change & intervention

design

Science of social justice

NIA topic areas of relevant current funding announcements

1 2 3 4 See NIA Blog

h t t p s : / / w w w. n i a . n i h . g o v / r e s e a r c h / g r a n t s - f u n d i n g

A few highlighted examples

COVID-19• NOT-OD-20-119: Social, ethical, and

behavioral implications (SEBI) of COVID-19 testing among underserved and/or vulnerable populations across the United States through the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics for Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) initiative.

• PAR-20-234: NIA Multi-site COVID-19 Related Clinical Trial Implementation Grant on Aging-Related Topics in at-risk Older Adult Populations (R01 Clinical Trial Required)

• Administrative supplement/competitive revisions (many)

AD/ADRD(Currently, 73 active FOAs)PAR-18-749: Examining Diversity, Recruitment and Retention in Aging Research (R24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)PAS-19-391: Small Research Grant Program for the Next Generation of Researchers in AD/ADRD Research: Area of Focus Archiving and Leveraging Existing Data Sets for Analyses (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

14

NOT-AG-20-022 Areas of Interest

• How COVID-19-related changes in the social, economic, institutional, and policy environments differentially impact the health and welfare of people across the life course and in vulnerable social groups

• Prevention practices and factors that influence adherence• How social distancing impacts the care and well-being of vulnerable older

adult populations• Health system responses and resulting racial, ethnic, or regional disparities

in access and/or care

Facilitating Sharing of COVID-19 Survey Items

• Trans-NIH working group co-led by NIA and OBSSR worked to make existing COVID-19 survey items and investigator contact information available in a survey item repository

• COVID-19 Specific Survey Items Now Available on PhenX Toolkit and the NIH Public Health Emergency and Disaster Research Response (DR2) Platforms

• Researchers with additional survey items about to be fielded are encouraged to make them public for other researchers to consider by submitting the survey to NIHCOVID19Measures@nih.gov.

COVID-19 in Health Disparities and Vulnerable Populations

• Digital Healthcare Interventions to Address the Secondary Health Effects Related to Social, Behavioral, and Economic Impact of COVID-19 https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-MH-20-053.html

• Community Interventions to Reduce the Impact of COVID-19 on Health Disparity and Other Vulnerable Populations https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-MD-20-022.html

• Harmonization and Data Sharing Expectations for Supplement and Revision Projects Addressing Social, Behavioral, Economic and Health Impacts of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-20-118.html

• NOSI: Alzheimer’s-focused administrative supplements for NIH grants that are not focused on Alzheimer’s disease

• NOSI: Administrative Supplements for Research on Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) Populations (Clinical Trial Optional)

• Notice of Special Interest: Administrative Supplements for Research on Sex/Gender Influences (Clinical Trial Optional)

• NOSI: Administrative Supplement for Research on Bioethical Issues (Clinical Trial Optional)

• NIA Diversity supplement program• Small Research Grant Program for the

Next Generation of Researchers in AD/ADRD Research: Area of Focus Archiving and Leveraging Existing Data Sets for Analyses (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

18

Possible Promising Research Avenues

2019 National Advisory Council on Aging ReviewDivision of Behavioral and Social Research

“BSR has excelled in the past 5 years at developing its portfolio and moving science forward and successfully integrating AD work.”

“The poor overall health in America and the growing disparities in some parts of the population and country require increased attention. It is time to not only document disparities, but also to suggest approaches to intervention and prevention.”

Complete report available on our home page:

https://www.nia.nih.gov/research/dbsr

Areas Recommended for Future Focus

1. Improve understanding of health disparities in aging2. Increase understanding of how macro-social trends influence aging3. Use a range of approaches to understand behavioral, psychological,

social, and geroscience explanations of aging4. Encourage research that examines the lifespan5. Support research on individual and organizational behavior change6. Enhance research on cognitive aging7. Support research to improve care for persons with dementia and

caregivers8. Enhance research on technology and aging9. Emphasize multidisciplinary training10. Reduce barriers to access to data for research

Tips for Applicants

Common pitfalls• Presumption of health disparities• Limited evidence to demonstrate unique

contributions of incarceration or minority stress or causal influence of stigma• Subgroups pooled• Intersectionality not adequately addressed• Cohorts effects mentioned, but not addressed• Limited generalizability/impact

• Limited sample + absence of power analysis• Unsupported feasibility of collecting data in

hard-to-reach subpopulations• Qualitative studies without defined next steps

What Can Your NIH Program Official (PO) Do?

• Comment on Institute program interests• Provide feedback on suitability of proposed work for IC or FOA• Clarify program requirements or administrative policies and

scientific priorities• Provide general tips and advice on writing strong applications• Refer applicants to publicly available resources

24

POs cannot help you write or edit your specific aims or discuss your reviewed project before you have the Summary Statement.

Contact a PO When

Before Applying• You have already read the relevant sections of the NIA website

and current funding opportunities• You have draft specific aims• You are seeking input on an appropriate funding opportunity for

your applicationAfter Review• You have a Summary Statement and you want to discuss a

resubmission strategy

25

How Best to Contact a POBefore Applying• Via email with a 1-page draft of your specific aims

After Review• Via email after you receive a Summary Statement

* If a phone call is necessary, scheduling it in advance via email and by proposing times on many different days works best.

26

Other TipsIf you are asked to serve on an NIH scientific review panel – SAY YESDo you homework first: Read material on the website, for example:• Meeting and Workshop Reports (BSR)• Strategic Directions• ADRD Research Implementation Milestones

Review all NIA training and career development opportunitiesConsider diversity supplements if applicable• Student or early career talk to a mentor or established researcher

with NIH funding• Read PA-20-166

27

Awesome NIA-supported

resources + other NIH opportunities

Networks of scientists addressing fundamental challenges in the social and behavioral sciences

Reversibility Network

Reproducibility Network

Harmonization of HRS International Aging

Studies

Biomarker Network

https://www.nia.nih.gov/research/dbsr/behavioral-and-social-research-networks

• Individual Predoctoral MD/PhD Fellows (F30)• Predoctoral Fellowships + Predoctoral

Fellowships to Promote Diversity (F31)• Postdoctoral Individual Awards (F32)• Aging Research Dissertation Awards to

Increase Diversity (R36 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

• Grants for Early Medical/Surgical Specialists' Transition to Aging Research (GEMSSTAR) (R03)

• Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career Development Award in Aging (K76)

Navigating Training and Career Development Opportunities

31

NIA Butler-Williams Scholars ProgramLocation: Bethesda, MD or online!Date: July-AugustEligibility: Qualified applicants must hold a doctoral degree (Ph.D., M.D., etc.). Only applicants working in the field of aging or actively considering this research field will be considered.Interactions with NIA Program StaffLeading Aging ResearchersMock Peer ReviewNetworking

Subscribe to NIA’s Blog https://www.nia.nih.gov/research/blog

Questions?Melissa GeraldDivision of Behavioral and Social Researchmelissa.gerald@nih.gov https://www.nia.nih.gov/research/dbsr