>> WELCOME TO THE 153RD MEETING
OF THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL
ON AGING.
SO WE'RE GOING TO START OFF JUST
WITH A ROLL CALL OF OUR
COUNCILMEMBERS.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE GIVE YOUR
NAME, YOUR INSTITUTION AND YOUR
TITLE AS I CALL YOUR NAME OUT.
OUT.
>> DR. SANJAY ASTHANA, PROFESSOR
AND ASSOCIATE DEAN, UNIVERSITY
OF WISCONSIN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.
>> I'M ANNE CASE, PROFESSOR OF
ECONOMICS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
EMERITUS AT PRINCETON
UNIVERSITY.
>> DR. SI CILIBERTO, I THINK SHS
NOT ON THIS MORNING YET.
DR. GREENSPAN.
>> HI, I'M DR. SUSAN GREENSPAN,
PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE AT
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH.
>> DR. HUANG?
>> YES, YADONG HUANG, GLADSTONE
INSTITUTE AND PROFESSOR AT UCSF.
>> DR. HULING-HUMMEL?
>> HELLO, DR. REVEREND CYNTHIA
HULING-HUMMEL FROM NEW YORK.
I AM A MEMBER OF THE ALZHEIMER'S
CLINICAL TRIALS CON OR S CONSORI
HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN THE
STUDY FOR 15 YEARS.
>> DR. INOUYE.
>> HI, EVERYONE.
I'M SHARON INOUYE, PROFESSOR OF
MEDICINE AT HARVARD MEDICAL
SCHOOL, DIRECTOR OF THE AGING
BRAIN CENTER AT HEBREW SENIOR
LIFE AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF JAMA
INTERNAL MEDICINE.
THANK YOU.
>> DR. KHAN.
>> I'M DR. SOHAIL KHAN, I'M THE
DIRECTOR OF HEALTH RESEARCH AT
CHEROKEE NATION AND CHAIR OF THE
CHEROKEE NATION.
>> DR. LONGO?
>> HELLO, I'M FRANK LONGO.
I'M A PROFESSOR OF NEUROLOGY AND
NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES AT
STANFORD UNIVERSITY.
>> DR. LUNDEBJERG.
>> HI, I'M NANCY LUNDEBJERG.
I'M THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
OF THE AMERICAN GERIATRICS
SOCIETY.
>> DR. REUBEN.
>> I'M DAVE REUBEN, A
GERIATRICIAN AND CHIEF OF
GERIATRICS AT UCLA.
>> AND DR. SCHNEIDER.
>> HELLO, I'M DR. SCHNEIDER.
I'M A PROFESSOR OF NEUROLOGY AND
NEUROPATHOLOGY AT RUSH, WHERE I
ALSO DIRECT THE ALZHEIMER'S
DISEASE RESEARCH CENTER.
>> AND DR. VAN ELDIK.
>> HI, I'M LINDA VAN ELDIK.
I'M AT UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY,
WHERE I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE
CENTER ON AGING AND THE
ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH CENTER.
>> AND OUR EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS,
FR --MR. H WESTIN, NOT ON YET, D
DR. HOLAVANAHALLI.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.
APOLOGIES FOR NOT BEING THERE IN
PERSON, CARE DUTIES FOR TWO
PERSONS IN THE FAMILY.
I AM A REHABILITATION SPECIALIST
AND A PROJECT OFFICER AT THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DISABILITY
INDEPENDENT LIVING AND
REHABILITATION RESEARCH.
WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION FOR
COMMUNITY LIVING.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
AND OUR AD HOC MEMBERS,
DR. EPEL?
SHE WILL BE JOINING US LATER.
AND DR. HUMMER?
>> HI, EVERYBODY.
I'M BOB HUMMER, PROFESSOR OF
SOCIOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL.
>> AND I SEE DR. CRUZ HAS JOINED
US.
DR. CRUZ, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
INTRODUCE YOURSELF?
>> HI, GOOD MORNING.
ANITA CRUZ, NATIONAL COUNCIL ON
AGING GREAT TO BE HERE.
>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU ALL.
NOW I'LL TURN THE MEETING OVER
TO OUR DIRECTOR, DR. RICHARD
HODES.
RICHARD?
>> THANK YOU.
ADD MY GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME,
AND I'LL BE PROVIDING SOME
COMMENTS, INFORMATION, AND THEN
CERTAINLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO
DISCUSS ANY OTHER TOPICS WITH
YOU AT THE END OF THAT
PRESENTATION.
SO LET ME BEGIN I ON THE NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE, WITH AN IN
MEMORIAM, SO WE HONOR HERE
DR. HAEFLIK.
WITH THE PASSING OF PREVIOUS
MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, WE PAY
SPECIAL ATTENTION AND HOMAGE.
IN THIS CASE, LEONARD HAYFLICK
WHO WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER FROM
THE VERY BEGINNING.
MANY OF YOU KNOW OF DR. HAY
FLICK, I THINK AROUND 1961, HE
WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SEMINAL
OBSERVATION THAT NORMAL
NON-MALIGNANT CELLS WHY NOT
IMMORTAL, THEY HAD A FINITE
LIFESPAN, BEGINNING OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF SENESCENCE AND
REGULATION OF THE LIFESPAN.
HE WAS PRESIDENT OF GSA,
CHAIRMAN OF SCIENTIFIC REVIEW
BOARD OF AFAR, EDITOR AND CHIEF
OF EXPERIMENTAL GERONTOLOGY AND
HAD POSITIONS AT STANFORD,
OAKLAND, AND UCSF, SO TRULY
ENORMOUS FIGURE IN OUR FIELD.
WE CAN TAKE A MOMENT TO HONOR
HIM, IF ANYONE HAS HAD CONTACT
WITH LEONARD AND WANTS TO TALK
TO HIM, PLEASE DO NOW, BUT A
TRULY GREAT FIGURE IN THE FIELD
AND IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO
OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE'LL TURN NEXT TO INFORMATION
ABOUT BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS.
AS YOU PROBABLY ARE WELL AWARE,
FY 2025 WILL BE UPON US IN A
COUPLE OF WEEKS.
THERE IS NOT AN APPROPRIATION
THAT HAS BEEN PASSED.
THIS HAS BEEN THE MORE TYPICAL
SITUATION OVER THE PAST YEARS
AND DECADES.
IN THIS CASE, THE HOUSE
APPROPRIATIONS BILL PASSED IN
JULY, WOULD HAVE PROVIDED
$48.5 BILLION FOR NIH,
ESSENTIALLY FAT RELATIVE TO THIS
YEAR.
INTERESTINGLY, THERE WAS
ALLOCATION OF $4.5 BILLION FOR
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON
DEMENTIA.
YOU MAY ALSO HAVE NOTED THERE
WAS LANGUAGE NOT FROM
APPROPRIATION BUT FROM ENC THAT
PROPOSE ADD REORGANIZATION OF
THE INSTITUTES AT NIH.
WE HAVE OF COURSE NO IDEA IF OR
WHEN THIS WILL TRANSLATE, BUT IT
IS REFLECTED IN THE FACT THAT
THE BUDGET FROM THE HOUSE
APPROPRIATIONS HAVE AN
ALLOCATION FOR THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE ON DEMENTIA, WHICH
WOULD BE A SLIGHT INCREASE ABOVE
THE NIA APPROPRIATION THIS YEAR.
THEN FROM THE SENATE, IN AUGUST,
THERE WAS A BILL THAT DID
INCREASE BY ABOUT $2 BILLION THE
OVERALL NIH BUDGET, FOR NIA,
$4.6 BILLION WHICH WAS AN
INCREASE OF $137.5 MILLION.
THAT TARGETED FOR ALZHEIMER'S
DISEASE AND NOTABLY WITH ANOTHER
$137 MILLION FOR PALSY FOR
NINDS, PROVIDING $12.5 MILLION
IN ADDITION TO NIA FOR
PALLIATIVE CARE.
WE AS YOU KNOW AFTER A FAILED
VOTE YESTERDAY, I BELIEVE MOST
RECENTLY IN THE HOUSE, WE'RE
WATCHING DAY BY DAY, WITH OF
COURSE A STRONG LIKELIHOOD THAT
WE'LL BE HAVING A CONTINUING
RESOLUTION, WE HOPE WITHOUT ANY
LAPSE IN FUNDING.
IN TERMS OF THE NOW FINAL
PAYLINES FOR RESEARCH, THIS
CURRENT NEAR ENDING FISCAL YEAR
2024, ONE IMPORTANT THING TO
NOTE AS WE STEP BACK AND LOOK AT
IT GLOBALLY IS THERE ARE NOW A
VERY SMALL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THE PAY LINES FOR TARGETED ADRD
RESEARCH, FOR THE GENERAL
PAYLINE MOST FREQUENT
APPLICATIONS THAT IS LESS THAN
$500,000 IN DIRECT COSTS, THE
PAYLINE WAS THE 16TH PERCENTILE.
AS UNUSUAL, WITH IMPROVED
PAYLINES FOR NEW INVESTIGATORS
OR NEW TO NIH SUPPORT, OR
ESIs, INVESTIGATORS NEW IN
TERMS OF THEIR EDUCATION AND
TRAINING.
IN PRIOR YEARS, WE HAD A
5 PERCENTILE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THE GENERAL PAYLINE AND THAT FOR
ESI.
AS YOU'LL NOTE THIS YEAR IT'S
HIGHER STILL AS WE CONTINUE TO,
IN FACT, INTENSIFY OUR SUPPORT
OF EARLY STAGE INVESTIGATORS.
ALTHOUGH NOT SHOWN AS A PAYLINE
BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A FORMAL
PAYLINE, WE ALSO GAVE PARTICULAR
ATTENTION TO AT RISK
INVESTIGATORS AS DEFINED BY
THOSE THAT DID NOT RECEIVE THE
CURRENT AWARD UNDER
CONSIDERATION WOULD HAVE NO
SUPPORT FOR THE LABORATORIES AND
THEREFORE AT GREATER RISK.
THE GENERAL PAYLINE AGAIN AS
BEFORE, WE'VE HAD A HIGHER BAR
FOR THE MORE EXPENSIVE
APPLICATIONS.
FOR AD/ADRD, LOWER EXPENSE
DIRECT COST APPLICATIONS AGAIN,
17TH PERCENTILE.
SO NOT SO DIFFERENT FROM THE
16TH PERCENTILE IN GENERAL
PAYLINE.
AND YOU CAN SATISFY
CORRESPONDINGLY THE PREFERENTIAL
PAYLINES FOR NEW AND EARLY STAGE
INVESTIGATORS.
AND NOW AS WE'VE INSTITUTED
RECENTLY A HIGHER BAR FOR
AD/ADRD AS WELL THE MORE
EXPENSIVE APPLICATIONS IN THIS
CASE THAT THRESHOLD BEING
$5 MILLION.
FOR NIA REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS
WHICH DON'T RECEIVE A PERCENTILE
BUT IMPACT PRIORITY SCORE, YOU
CAN SEE HERE THE NUMBERS ARE
SIMILAR FOR GENERAL AND ADRD,
FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND
FELLOWSHIP AWARDS, SOME
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GENERAL AND
AD/ADRD, 25 AND 30 FOR CAREER
DEVELOPMENT AWARDS, 30 AND 35
FOR FELLOWSHIP AWARDS, AGAIN
REFLECTING A PRIORITY FOR
MEETING OUR TRAINING AND CAREER
DEVELOPMENT.
SO THE PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT
BUDGET FOR ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
RESEARCH AS LEGISLATED FOR EACH
YEAR THERE'S FISCAL 25, NEXT
YEAR COMING UP, WE'RE REQUIRED
TO SUBMIT A PROFESSIONAL
JUDGMENT BUDGET TO CONGRESS.
THERE IS UNDER CONSIDERATION AN
EXTENSION OF THIS LEGISLATION
THROUGH 2035.
THE PROCESS YOU CAN SEE HERE IS
ONE IN WHICH WE HOLD A SERIES OF
MEETINGS, ACADEMIC INPUTS, ALL
OF OUR VARIOUS CONSTITUENT
AUDIENCES.
EXCUSE ME, DRY MOUTH, I'VE
TALKED TOO MUCH ALREADY THIS
MORNING.
THEN WE DEVELOPED MILESTONES
BASED ON ALL THESE INPUTS FOR
PRIORITIES, GAPS AND
OPPORTUNITIES.
THESE ARE THEN TRANSLATED INTO
MILESTONES, THAT IS, WHAT NEEDS
TO BE ACCOMPLISHED TO MEET THE
GOALS OF PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT
BUDGET, AND THEN AN ESTIMATE OF
THE COSTS, DOLLARS NEEDED, ABOVE
CURRENT FUNDING LEVELS IN ORDER
TO ACHIEVE THOSE PRIORITIES, AND
THAT GENERATES THE FINAL
PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT BUDGET.
JUST COMPLETED NOW, IN 2024, IS
THE ESTIMATE FOR 2026, AND THIS
IS TYPICAL OF THE LEAD TIME FOR
THESE BUDGETS.
SO THE FRAMEWORK FOR DEFINING
THESE MILESTONES AND CATEGORIES
ARE THE EIGHT CADRO CATEGORIES,
AN ONTOLOGY ESTABLISHED BY NIA
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE
ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION TO
CATEGORIZE RESEARCH RELATED TO
ALZHEIMER'S RELATED DEMENTIAS,
IS ALSO IN THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE
INTERNATIONAL ALZHEIMER'S
DISEASE RESEARCH PORTFOLIO,
WHICH ALLOWS US TO TRACK
IMPLEMENTATION ACROSS RESEARCH
AREAS NATIONALLY AND GLOBALLY.
AND IN THESE CATEGORIES, YOU CAN
SEE HERE IN THE FY 26
PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT BUDGET,
THE AMOUNTS ALLOCATED TO EACH OF
THESE WHEN ADDED, THEY
CORRESPOND TO A TOTAL OF ABOUT
$445 MILLION ABOVE CURRENT
RESOURCES.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE NOW, MANY YEARS
INTO OUR EXTENDED ALZHEIMER'S
AND ADRD RESEARCH PROGRAM, EACH
YEAR FUNDS BECOMING AVAILABLE
FROM COMPLETION OF PROJECTS FROM
PRIOR YEARS.
THIS YEAR THAT AMOUNTED TO SOME
$332 MILLION THAT WILL BECOME
AVAILABLE FOR NEW RESEARCH,
THEREFORE WE SUBTRACT THAT FROM
THE TOTAL REQUEST OF
$445 MILLION WITH A NET REQUEST
FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS OF
$113 MILLION.
THIS SHOWS THE IMPACT OF THAT ON
THE TOTAL AD/ADRD RESEARCH AT
NIH WHICH AT PRESENT IS
$3.87 BILLION WITH THE INCREASE
BEING ASKED WOULD COME TO
3.98 OR VERY NEARLY $4 BILLION.
THIS SHOWS YOU THE SAME IN A PIE
DIAGRAM BREAKING IT OUT INTO
PERCENTAGES IN THE VARIOUS
CATEGORIES.
IN ADDITION TO THE PROFESSIONAL
JUDGMENT IN DOLLARS, THERE IS A
NARRATIVE PROVIDED WITH EXAMPLES
OF POTENTIAL FUTURE RESEARCH
OPPORTUNITIES IN EACH OF THE SIX
RESEARCH AREAS THAT ARE NOTED
HERE AS WELL AS CROSS-CUTTING
AREAS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGED
RESEARCH.
AND RECOMMEND VERY MUCH READING
OF THIS OF THE NARRATIVE, AS
WELL AS, OF COURSE, THE
ATTENTION PAID TO THE DOLLARS.
NEXT, IN ADDITION TO THE BYPASS
BUDGET, THERE IS AN ALZHEIMER'S
AND RELATED DEMENTIAS PROGRESS
REPORT WHICH SUMMARIZES
SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS OVER
THE PAST YEAR.
HERE TOO, THEY'RE BROKEN DOWN
INTO MANY EXAMPLES THAT ARE
ILLUSTRATED HERE.
WON'T READ NEM ALL THEM ALL BUY
RANGE FROM UNDERSTANDING RISK
AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS,
ENHANCING DIVERSITY AND
INCLUSION OF CLINICAL TRIALS.
AND AGAIN WOULD REALLY RECOMMEND
READING THROUGH THE PROGRESS
REPORT WHICH IS A REAL TRIBUTE
TO THE WORK THAT ALL OF YOU IN
THE FIELD HAVE ACHIEVED OVER THE
PAST YEARS AND NOTING OUR
PROGRESS IN ADDITION TO OUR
NEEDS AND PROJECTED PRIORITIES
FOR YEARS TO COME.
SOME UPDATES.
AMONG ACTIVE NIA FUNDED
ALZHEIMER'S RELATED DEMENTIAS
CLINICAL TRIALS, THE TOTAL NOW
IS SOME 461, THEY'RE BROKEN DOWN
INTO THE CATEGORIES YOU SEE HERE
AND IF WE SEE THE NEXT SLIDES,
WE'LL BREAK THEM DOWN FURTHER
STILL.
SO FOR THE ACTIVE CLINICAL
TRIALS, PHARMACOLOGIC AND
NON-PHARMACOLOGIC, 67
PHARMACOLOGIC TRIALS BROKEN DOWN
INTO 54, WHICH ARE THE EARLIER
PHASE, PHASE 1 AND PHASE
2 TRIALS, AND THEN 13, PHASE 2,
3, 3 AND 4 TRIALS.
NOTED HERE ARE THE CATEGORIES OR
TARGETS FOR THESE STUDIES, AND
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TRACKING
OVER THE PAST YEARS, YOU CAN SEE
THE VERY NOTABLE TREND TOWARDS
DIVERSIFICATION OF TARGETS,
WHICH IS A DIRECT PRODUCT OF THE
BASIC RESEARCH AND TRANSLATIONAL
RESEARCH THAT HAS LED TO AN
APPRECIATION OF THE PATHWAYS
INVOLVED IN ALZHEIMER'S RELATED
DEMENTIAS AND TRANSLATION OF
THAT INTO CLINICAL TRIALS AMONG
THOSE MORE DIVERSE TARGETS.
NOTABLY FOR THE PHASE 1,
2 TRIALS, OF THE 54, ONLY SIX
ARE DIRECTED AT AMYLOID, WHICH
UNTIL RECENT YEARS HAD BEEN A
VERY PREDOMINANT TARGET.
REMAINS AN IMPORTANT ONE BUT IS
NOW JOINED BY THESE OTHER
PATHWAYS YOU CAN SEE, JUST AS
EXAMPLES IN TERMS OF
INFLAMMATION, RECEPTIVE
TARGETING, VASCULATURE, ET
CETERA, AND SIMILARLY FOR THE 13
MORE ADVANCED PHASE 2, 3,
4 TRIALS, OF THE 13, ONLY FOUR
ARE DIRECTED AT AMYLOID.
AGAIN STILL IMPORTANT, AN AREA
WE'VE HAD DRAMATIC PRECEDENCE
SETTING, BUT ALSO NOW WITH
TRANSLATION OF EARLY AND EARLY
STAGE CLINICAL TRIALS INTO THESE
MORE LATE STAGE TRIALS OVER THE
NEXT YEARS IN ANTICIPATION.
TURNING TO THE
NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL TRIALS, SOME
152 OF THEM, AGAIN MULTIPLE --
COGNITIVE TRAINING AND ON
THROUGH COMBINATIONS AND WE
ANTICIPATE SEEING MORE AND MORE
COMBINATIONS OF PHARM AND PHARM,
PHARM AND NON-PHARM AS WE
ADDRESS IN A MORE DETAILED WAY
THE COMPLEXITY AND HETEROGENEITY
OF WHAT HAPPENS AT RISK DURING
THE PROGRESSION OF ALZHEIMER'S
DISEASE AND ADDRESS THOSE WITH
INTERVENTIONS.
SIMILARLY IN THE AREA OF
DEMENTIA CARE AND CAREGIVING,
DIVERSITY OF TARGETS NOW WITH A
SMALLER NUMBER OF THOSE
ADVANCING INTO REALLY
DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS WHERE
THEY'RE BEING IMPLEMENTED MORE
WIDELY, NEED FOR CONTINUED
EVALUATION OF THEIR SUCCESSES
AND COMMITMENT JUST AS THERE IS
FOR LOOKING AT MEANS OF
PREVENTING AND TREATING
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE FOR TENDING
TO THE CARE AND CAREGIVING NEEDS
AT PRESENT.
AND IN YEARS TO COME.
IN ADDITION, THERE ARE
CATEGORIES HERE OF DIAGNOSTIC
AND BIOMARKERS, TREATMENT OF THE
NEUROPSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS THAT
ACCOMPANY DEMENTIAS.
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF TRIALS
OVERALL AS YOU CAN SEE SOME
461 AND AGAIN, THAT'S JUST NIA,
A D/ADRD TRIALS.
GLOBALLY IT'S OF COURSE FAR
GREATER.
AMONG THE CONGRESSIONAL LANGUAGE
IN THE FY 22 APPROPRIATIONS WAS
THE DIRECTION TO NIA, WORKING
WITH NINDS TO ENTER INTO AN
AGREEMENT WITH THE NATIONAL
ACADEMIES TO WITHIN 60 DAYS OF
ENACTMENT TO IDENTIFY A PROCESS
FOR EXAMINING PRIORITIES FOR
RESEARCH AIMED AT PREVENTING AND
TREATING AD/ADRD.
YOU CAN SEE THE TIMETABLE HERE
IN FY 23, A TASK ORDER WAS
ESTABLISHED WITH THE NATIONAL
ACADEMY, COMMITTEE WAS
ESTABLISHED IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST
YEAR, THEN IN THE PAST YEAR A
SERIES OF PUBLIC MEETINGS AND
CLOSED SESSIONS WITH AN
EXPECTATION OF THE FINAL REPORT
ANTICIPATED IN THE EARLY MONTHS
OF 2025.
AND OF COURSE THERE WILL BE
ANOTHER IMPORTANT BIT OF INPUT
GUIDING OUR IDENTIFICATION M OFF
PRIORITIES FOR FUTURE RESEARCH.
PUTTING IN SOME RECENT EVENTS
JUST A COUPLE DAYS AGO, IT WAS A
GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE WITH ATUL GAWANDE IN
AN EVENT SPONSORED THROUGH THE
FOGARTY INTERNATIONAL CENTER
LOOKING AT USAID, NIA
PERSPECTIVES ON AGING,
LONGEVITY, AND REALLY THE THEME
OF WHICH OVERALL WAS TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPORTANCE
WAS OF DOING GLOBAL
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH ON THESE
THEMES.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GENERAL
GENERATING A NEXT NIA STRATEGIC
DIRECTIONS DOCUMENT, IT'S COME
UP IN SOME OF OUR CONVERSATIONS
WITH COUNCIL YESTERDAY AS WELL.
YOU CAN SEE THE SCHEDULE HERE,
THERE WAS AN RFI RELEASED WHICH
CLOSED ON SEPTEMBER 13TH BUT AS
NOTED THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITY
FOR FURTHER INPUT BY
SPECIFICALLY COUNCIL AND
COUNCILMEMBERS AS WELL.
THIS COMPLEMENTS MA MANY OF OUR
MORE TARGETED SPECIFIC PLANNING
APPROACHES AND PROVIDES OUR MOST
GENERAL DIRECTION FOR
ESTABLISHING RESEARCH PRIORITIES
OVER THE SUBSEQUENT FIVE YEARS.
COMMITMENT TO COMMUNICATING AND
DISSEMINATING RESULTS OF NIA
SUPPORTED RESEARCH ARE
ILLUSTRATED HERE SINCE MAY, OUR
LAST COUNCIL MEETINGS.
THE RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS HAVE
BEEN PUBLISHED, 14 BLOGS, NEWS
ANNOUNCEMENTS, SINCE MAY,
MYSELF, AMY KELLEY AND OTHER
SENIOR STAFF PARTICIPATED IN 14
MEETINGS WITH INTEREST IN
ADVOCACY GROUPS AND SOME FIVE
CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFINGS AND
HEARINGS.
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
ONCE AGAIN, WANT TO FEATURE FOR
YOU THIS USE OF MECHANISMS FOR
START YUM CHALLENGE TO PROMOTE
HEALTHY AGING.
THE FIRST IN 2022, THE SECOND IN
2023, ILLUSTRATED HERE WHAT SOME
OF THE WINNERS WERE IN 2023.
YOU'LL RECALL FROM PREVIOUS
DESCRIPTIONS, THIS PROVIDES SORT
OF A SHARK TANK FOR PROPOSALS
BUT THEY'RE NOT JUST JUDGED.
THE PARTICIPANTS WHO SUBMIT THEM
HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF WORKING
WITH ENTREPRENEURIAL EXPERTS TO
HONE SKILLS IN TRANSLATING FROM
RESEARCH INTO WHAT IT TAKES TO
HAVE PRODUCTS OF THAT RESEARCH
BECOME MARKETABLE AND HELP TO
ADVANCE HEALTHY AGING.
HERE YOU CAN SEE ILLUSTRATED THE
SUCSIX WINNERS.
JUST TO NOTE THE RANGE OF
PROJECTS THAT WERE SUPPORTED,
THE FIRST M MECHANICALLY POWERED
ASSISTED WALKING DEVICES FOR
ACCESSIBLE MOBILITY
REHABILITATION, THROUGH
IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES TO
TREAT CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONS,
AND ON THROUGH A VARIETY OF
DISCIPLINES AND AREAS.
THE 2025 STARTUP WAS LAUNCHED IN
SEPTEMBER AND SUBMISSIONS ARE
DUE IN DECEMBER.
AND THIS, AGAIN, IS A MECHANISM
THAT'S VERY EFFECTIVE IN
RECRUITING INTO RESEARCH
INDIVIDUALS AND PROJECTS AND
DIRECTIONS WHICH ARE NOT TYPICAL
OF AND, THEREFORE, EXTEND BEYOND
OUR USUAL RESEARCH SUPPORT
MECHANISMS.
THERE WILL BE, NEXT WEEK, FALLS
PREVENTION IN OLDER ADULTS,
EXPERT Q & A FOR THOSE OF YOU
WHO CAN MAKE IT.
AGAIN, NEXT WEEK THE 2024 NIH
ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH SUMMIT HELD
HERE ON CAMPUS, BUT HYBRID AS
WELL.
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN, THOSE
WHO WANT TO SIGN ON FOR REMOTE
VIEWING, WE'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO
DO SO.
THESE ARE IMPORTANT SUPPLEMENTS
THAT OCCUR, THERE'S THIS, THE
ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH SUMMIT,
THERE'S AN ALZHEIMER'S RELATED
SUMMIT, THIS ONE ON CARE AND
CAREGIVING.
WE AT THIS COUNCIL CONTINUE TO
MARK OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY SINCE
1974 AND INVITE YOU AS YOU HAVE
BEEN DOING SO WONDERFULLY AT THE
LEVEL OF INDIVIDUALS,
INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS
TO HELP US CELEBRATE.
WHAT WE ALL
HAVE ACCOMPLISHED OVER THE PAST
50 YEARS.
AT THE NIH LEVEL, AND IF THERE
ARE QUESTIONS TO THIS, I'LL
HAPPILY TURN TO MY TRUSTED
ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE KEN, AN
OVERVIEW OF GRANT APPLICATION
AND REVIEW CHANGES THAT WILL AND
DO HAVE AN IMPACT, BUT
SIMPLIFIED REVIEW FRAMEWORK
AIMED TO FOCUS ON WHAT IS AND
SHOULD BE MOST IMPORTANT, WHAT
SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED IN REVIEW
OF APPLICATIONS.
THIS WILL APPLY FOR DUE TAITS
AFTER MAY OF 2025.
AND FINALLY, AS WE CELEBRATE
STAFF UPDATE, AS YOU KNOW THE
INSTITUTE HAS GROWN ENORMOUSLY,
BRINGING MORE TALENTED PEOPLE
AND STAFF TO WORK WITH US SO
WE'LL TAKE THIS OCCASION TO HAVE
EACH OF THE DIVISIONS TALK TO
YOU ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE
JOINED US SINCE.
AND WE'RE BEGINNING WITH --
>> DIVISION OF BEHAVIORAL AND
SOCIAL RESEARCH.
I'M LIZ NIELSEN, DIRECTOR OF THE
DIVISION.
SO I'M PLEASED TO WELCOME
LONG-TIME GRANDY BEN CHAPMAN,
WHO JOINED BSR EARLIER THIS
MONTH AS THE CHIEF OF OUR
INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIORAL PROCESSES
BRANCH, WHERE HE'S SUCCEEDED DRY
DIRECTOR OF OBSSR.
BEN JOINS US FROM THE UNIVERSITY
OF ROCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER
WHERE HE WAS A FULL PROFESSOR AT
P.I. OF R01s, R2 #s AND R61,
ALL STARTING WITH AN NIIK AWARD
BACK IN 2008.
HE HAS A PH.D. IN PSYCHOLOGY AND
M.P.H. AND MS IN BIOSTATISTICS
FROM ROCHESTER.
THE THEMES IN HIS WORK HAVE BEEN
THE INTERFACE OF PERSONALITY AND
SOCIAL CLASS AS THEY PERTAIN TO
LATER LIFE MORTALITY AND
COGNITIVE OUTCOMES, MINDFULNESS
AND SOCIAL ISOLATION AMONG OLDER
ADULTS AND MOST RECENTLY THE
LINKS BETWEEN BILINGUALISM
PERCEIVED DISCRIMINATION AND
LATER LIFE COGNITIVE OUTCOMES.
BEN WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE
SOCIAL PERSONALITY AND
INTERPERSONAL PROCESSES OR SPIP
STUDY SECTION IN CSR AND SERVED
ON NUMEROUS NIA SPECIAL EMPHASIS
PANELS.
HE WAS ASSOCIATE EDITOR OF
PSYCHOSOMATIC MEDICINE AND LONG
TIME EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER OF
PSYCHOLOGY AND AGING AND WE'RE
REALLY THRILLED TO HAVE BEN JOIN
US IN BSR.
BEN IS HERE, CAN GIVE A WAVE FOR
THOSE IN THE ROOM.
WE'RE ALSO HAPPY TO WELCOME
ASHLY SNEED TO FILL URGENT NEEDS
FOR MORE CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPORT.
SHE'S WORKING ON TRAVEL AND
CONFERENCE REGISTRATIONS FOR
STAFF AND IS ATTENDING DOMESTIC
TRAVEL TRAINING.
SHE'LL BE HANDLING ANNUM BER OF
OTHER PURCHASING REQUIREMENTS AS
WELL.
SHE'S COMING WITH ADMINISTRATIVE
OPERATIONS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE
EXPERIENCE FROM MEDSTAR
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
AND CHILDREN'S NATIONAL
HOSPITAL, BOTH IN
WASHINGTON, D.C.
IN JULY, WE WELCOMED TWO NEW
STAFF MEMBERS IN BSR'S OFFICE OF
DATA RESOURCES AND ANALYTICS OR
ODRA.
JOSEPH CHIARENZELLI JOINED AS A
SOCIAL SCIENCE ANALYST TO
COORDINATE STRATEGIC PLANNING
AND OPERATIONS AND TO OVERSEE
PROJECT MANAGEMENT.
HE COMES TO US FROM THE DHHS
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL OR
OIG, WHERE HE PROVIDED STRATEGIC
PLANNING AND POLICY SUPPORT TO
OIG LEADERSHIP, MANAGED A BROAD
PORTFOLIO OF PROGRAM EVALUATIONS
ACROSS HHS FOCUSED ON SCIENTIFIC
INTEGRITY, MEDICARE, AND
TECHNOLOGY, AND DESIGNED AND
IMPLEMENTED POLICIES, PROCEDURES
AND DATA SYSTEMS.
HE HAS AN M.P.H. DEGREE FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF ALBANY BEFORE
JOINING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
AS A PRESIDENTIAL MANAGEMENT
FELLOW.
AND DR. ESMERALDA RAMIREZ-PENA
IS WORKING ON INITIATIVES
RELATED TO REAL WORLD DATA AND
ADVANCED ANALYTICS.
SHE JOINS US FROM THE NATIONAL
CANCER INSTITUTE, WHERE SHE
WORKED WITH THE SEER PROGRAM TO
DEVELOP METHODS FOR THE QUALITY
ASSESSMENT OF THE REGISTRY'S
FIRST COLLECTION OF CANCER
RECURRENCE DATA FROM ELECTRONIC
HEALTH RECORDS, AND ITS LINKAGE
TO PHARMACY CLAIMS.
SHE HOLDS A PH.D. IN BIOMEDICAL
SCIENCES FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
TEXAS MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER,
PGH >> TRUAND AN M.P.H.
IN JUNE JONATHAN GOOCH JOINED
THE CLINICAL TRIALS OFFICE AS A
CLINICAL TRIALS COORDINATOR,
WHERE HE IS PROVIDING DATA AND
SAFETY MONITORING BOARD OR DSMB
SUPPORT, CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND
CLINICAL TRY TRIAL SUPPORT
ACROSS THE PORTFOLIO AREAS.
JONATHAN JOINS US AFTER WORKING
AS A SENIOR CLINICAL TRIAL
PROJECT MANAGER FOR A CONTRACT
RESEARCH ORGANIZATION, WHERE HE
MANAGED CONTRACT THAT PROVIDES
CLINICAL STUDIES MANAGEMENT AND
SUPPORT ACROSS NIA'S EXTRAMURAL
DIVISIONS.
AND FINALLY, WE HAVE TWO NEW
PROGRAM OFFICIALS IN OUR
POPULATION AND SOCIAL PROCESSES
BRANCH OUR PSP.
FIRST DR. LEWE DUAN JOINS US IN
JULY FROM THE CENTER FOR
MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES
WHERE SHE OVERSAW COMPREHENSIVE
REVIEWS OF POLICY IMPACTS ON
HEALTH SYSTEMS AND OUTCOMES.
AS A PROGRAM OFFICER IN BSR,
SHE'S ADVANCING OUR HEALTH
SYSTEMS RESEARCH PORTFOLIO
FOCUSING ON DEMENTIA CARE
TRIALS, BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS AND
HEALTHCARE AND PALLIATIVE CARE.
SHE HOLDS A PH.D. IN ECONOMICS
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA AND A MASTER'S IN
BIOLOGY WITH A FOCUS ON
MOLECULAR GENETICS FROM UNC
CHAPEL HILL.
PRIOR TO JOINING THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, SHE CONDUCTED
RESEARCH AT KAISER MERM NEN TAI
AND WAS A PRINCIPAL
STATISTICIAN.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST DR. YUNA
BAE-SHAAW JOINED IN MID AUGUST
AND IS ALSO ADVANCING OUR HEALTH
SYSTEMS PORTFOLIO.
SHE IS FOCUSING ON RESEARCH ON
MEDICARE ADVANTAGE AND PART D,
DRUG DISCOVERY AND ACCESS AND
LONG-TERM CARE FINANCING.
PRIOR TO JOINING NIA, SHE WAS A
RESEARCH ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA MANN SCHOOL OF
PHARMACY, WHERE HER RESEARCH
FOCUSED ON INTERVENTIONS AND
POLICIES AIMED AT IMPROVING
DEMENTIA CARE IN NURSING HOMES
AND ON IMPACT EVALUATIONS OF
VALUE-BASED MULTIDISCIPLINARY
CARE DELIVERY MODELS FOR
MANAGING POORLY CONTROLLED
CHRONIC CONDITIONS.
SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING
ALL THESE TERRIFIC NEW STAFF TO
BSR.
THANK YOU.
>> HI.
OUR DIVISION WOULD LIKE TO
WELCOME MONICA SERRA, WHO JOINS
US IN ONE OF THE PEPPER CENTERS
IN OUR GERIATRICS BRANCH.
SHE'LL BE WORKING ON OUR MUST
MUSCULOSKELETAL PORTFOLIOS, AND
ALSO ON RESILIENCE.
AND CHRISTIAN HATCHER IS A
HEALTH SPECIALIST JOINING OUR
ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT, AND HE'S
GOT A STRONG BACKGROUND BOTH IN
SCIENCE AND ADMINISTRATION AND
WILL BE WORKING ON COORDINATING
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES WITH
THE VARIOUS SCIENTIFIC INQUIRIES
AND ACTIVITIES OF THE DIVISION
AND THE INTERFACE WITH THE REST
OF NIA AND NIH.
SO PLEASE JOIN US IN WELCOMING
THEM.
I THINK MONICA MAY BE HERE?
I THINK CHRISTIAN IS AWAY.
SHE MAY BE ELSEWHERE TOO.
THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I'M DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE AND
WELCOME SOME NEW MEMBERS TO THE
DIVISION OF NEUROSCIENCE.
FIRST MIKE GREENE, HE'S JOINING
US AS AN NIH PATHWAYS FELLOW IN
THE DIVISION OF NEUROSCIENCE.
WHERE HE'S GOING TO BE -- OR
HE'S WORKING WITH RICHARD QUACK
AND EMERALD AND THE TEAM ON THE
NIA CLIMATE ON INTEGRATED DATA
ON CLIMATE CHANGE TO THE
EXPOSOME STUDIES THAT THE
DIVISIONS, BOTH BS R AND D N AND
OTHERS ARE CONDUCTING.
HE'S CURRENTLY A JUNIOR AT
BOSTON UNIVERSITY, WHERE HE
STUDIES COMPUTER SCIENCE AND
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, AND HE
ALSO HAS EXPERIENCE AT OTHER NI
IHINS TE
INSTITUTES LIKE NIAID WHERE HE
WAS WORKING ON SOLUTIONS FOR
PRECISE SOFTWARE FUNCTIONING.
AND HE HAS WIDE EXPERIENCE IN
COMPUTER AND DATA MANAGEMENT, SO
HE'S A GREAT ADDITION TO THE
TEAM.
NEXT WE HAVE JANE HETTINGER, AND
SHE'S JOINING THE DIVISION AS A
PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND BRANCH OF
CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS AND
DIAGNOSTICS, WHERE SHE'S
MANAGING THE PORTFOLIOS ON
ADDrd NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL
CLINICAL TRIALS TOGETHER WITH
CHRISTINA AND LAURIE AND SHE'S
ALSO SUPPORTING A NUMBER OF
OTHER INTERVENTIONS RELATED TO
LIFESTYLE AND DELAYING DEMENTIA.
SHE'S ALSO INVOLVED IN COGNITIVE
TRAINING, SLEEP TRIAL MANAGEMENT
AND OTHER PREVENTION AND
TREATING DEMENTIA.
JANE ALSO HAS EXPERIENCE AT NIH,
SHE WAS PREVIOUSLY AT NCI IN
THE -- AS PROGRAM DIRECTOR IN
THE CENTERS FOR COORDINATING
CLINICAL TRIALS, AND SHE WAS
ALSO AT NINDS, WHERE SHE WAS
PART OF THE NEUROBIOBANK AND THE
ALS STRATEGIC PLAN.
SHE RECEIVED HER PH.D. IN
NEUROSCIENCES FROM WASHINGTON
UNIVERSITY, AND ALSO COMPLETED
THE POSTDOCTORAL TRAINING IN THE
MAXIMILIAN'S UNIVERSITY IN
MUNICH, AND SHE DID RESEARCH AT
THAT TIME IN MICROGLIA AND
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.
EVA LAW SON-LIPCHIN, SHE
ACTUALLY WAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO
MEMBER OF DN, ABOUT SEVEN, EIGHT
YEARS AGO, AND THEN SHE WENT TO
WORK FOR THE DIVISION OF
EXTRAMURAL AFFAIRS, WHERE SHE
WAS THERE FOR A FEW YEARS AND
THEN WITH DELOITTE AND MORE
RECENTLY, SHE WAS WORKING WITH
HEVOLUTION, A NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION FUNDING AGING
RESEARCH, AND SHE JUST REJOINED
NIA RECENTLY IN THE OFFICE OF
STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT AND
PARTNERSHIPS IN THE DIVISION OF
NEUROSCIENCE AS A PROGRAM
ANALYST, WHERE SHE'S OVERSEEING
AND MANAGING THE INTERNATIONAL
ALZHEIMER'S AND RELATED
DEMENTIAS RESEARCH PORTFOLIO OR
IADRP.
SHE HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN
GRANTS MANAGEMENT, PROJECT
MANAGEMENT AND OTHER
ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES, SO WE'RE
DELIGHTED FOR HER ALSO.
SO JOIN ME ON WELCOMING THEM TO
THE INSTITUTE.
THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP IT'S MY PLEASURE TO
ANNOUNCE THREE NEW STAFF MEMBERS
TO THE DIVISION OF EXTRAMURAL
ACTIVITIES.
FIRST UP IS MAYRA ALVAREZ LOPEZ,
AND SHE IS A PROGRAM ANALYST IN
THE OFFICE OF STRATEGIC
EXTRAMURAL PROGRAMS, WHERE SHE
SUPPORTS A WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAM
ACTIVITIES AND INITIATIVES FOR
OCEP'S SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION
RESEARCH AND SMALL BUSINESS
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAMS.
PRIOR TO JOINING NIA, MAYRA
SERVED AS A PROGRAM ANALYST AT
THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR
ADVANCING TRANSLATIONAL
SCIENCES, NCATS, IN THE OFFICE
OF STRATEGIC ALLIANCE.
SHE CONDUCTED OUTREACH
COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES AND
MANAGEMENT OF GRANT
APPLICATIONS, CONTRACTS AND
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS
AWARDED TO SMALL BUSINESSES, AND
FINALLY, SHE RECEIVED HER
BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN GOVERNMENT
AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS WITH
A CONCENTRATION ON INTERNATIONAL
POLICY AND HER MASTER'S DEGREE
IN ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AT
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY IN
ARLINGTON.
NEXT IS KELLI OSTER.
KELLI JOINED NIA AS A GRANTS
MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST IN 1990
AND HAS SERVED IN GRANTS
MANAGEMENT AT THE NATIONAL
CANCER INSTITUTE AND THE NURSING
INSTITUTE, BOTH AS TEAM LEADER
AND SPECIALIST.
SHE JOINED -- SHE HAS HER B.S.
DEGREE IN LONG TERM HEALTHCARE
ADMINISTRATION AND BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION FROM SOUTHERN
AVENTUS UNIVERSITY.
NEXT IS DR. CATRINA ROBINSON.
DR. ROBINSON IS A SCIENTIFIC
REVIEW OFFICER IN THE SCIENTIFIC
REVIEW BRANCH.
SHE EARNED A PH.D. IN
PHARMACOLOGY FROM AUBURN
UNIVERSITY AND COMPLETED A
POSTDOC FELLOWSHIP AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN.
RECENTLY SHE WAS AN ASSOCIATE
PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEUROLOGY AT THE MEDICAL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND
RESEARCH HEALTH SCIENTIST AT THE
RALPH JOHNSON VA MEDICAL CENTER.
CATRI IN TNA'S RESEARCH FOCUSEDN
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF
METABOLIC RISK FACTORS SUCH AS
DIABETES, OBESITY, INSULIN
RESISTANCE AND HIGH CHOLESTEROL
ON COGNITIVE AGING AND DEMENTIA.
SO PLEASE WELCOME OUR THREE NEW
MEMBERS TO DEA.
THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, I'M PATRICK
SHIRDON, EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR
NIA.
WE HAVE SOME NEW MEMBERS TO OUR
TEAM WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE.
MARIE RAPOPORT COMES TO US FROM
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
AT CHARLOTTE AND SHE'S GOING TO
BE WORKING ON ALL THE THINGS TO
HELP US DEAL WITH OUR DAILY
OPERATIONAL PROCESSES AND
FINANCES, SO EXCITED TO HAVE
HER.
WE'RE ALSO EXCITED TO HAVE INTO
OUR IT OR TECHNOLOGY BRANCH
JANET CHOI, WITH US CURRENTLY AS
A MEMBER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
MARYLAND MAJORING IN COMPUTER
SCIENCE AND SHE'LL BE A PART OF
OUR EMERGING TECHNOLOGY GROUP.
ELY YONCE, COMPUTER SCIENCE
MAJOR, AGAIN IN OUR EMERGING
TECHNOLOGY GROUP FOCUSING ON
SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES TO
CREATE EFFICIENCIES WITH
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ON THE
OPERATIONS SIDE.
SO IN OUR WORKFORCE AND
ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT
BRANCH, WE HAVE A FEW NEW FOLKS
THAT WE COULDN'T BE MORE PLEASED
TO HAVE.
JOSE GALLEGOS COMES FROM THE
BARBARNES CENTER FOR ENLISTED
EDUCATION AT MAXWELL AIR FORCE
BASE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH US
TO INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY AND THE
WAYS IN WHICH WE ONBOARD AND
DEAL WITH HUMAN CAPITAL.
JOY DE LOS SANTOS, IN TERMS OF
COORDINATION FOR OUR FURLOUGHS
AND PERSONNEL PLANNING DISASTER
RECOVERY TYPE ACTIVITIES.
VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THEM JOIN
THE TEAM.
WE ALSO HAVE JACK ALPERT,
MANAGEMENT ANALYST COMES FROM
THES OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCE
SYSTEMS OF ANALYTICS AND
INFORMATION DIVISION.
AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW AS THE
ORGANIZATION WE HAVE CONTINUED
IN EXPANDED NEEDS TO MANAGE AND
TRACK AND DEAL WITH THE
INCREASED VOLUME.
WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE JACK JOIN
US.
TRACY HOLT, NEUROSCIENCE
COMMUNICATIONS, SHE'S GOING TO
BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR
THE THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR.
WE HAVE CHRISTEENNA IRAHETA ALSO
WORKING WITHIN THE NATIONAL
LIBRARY OF MEDICINE WORKING ON
OUR WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY
PROGRAM.
TRANSLATABLE TO OUR FOLKS
WORKING REMOTELY FOR US.
AS WELL AS WORKING WITH OUR HR
LIAISON ASSISTING OUR HIRING
MANAGERS WITH RECRUITMENT AND
ALSO STAFFING AND ONBOARDING,
SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AS YOU
ALL ARE HEARING THIS MORNING
GROWING THE ORGANIZATION TO
SUPPORT THE REALIZATION THAT
WE'RE THE THIRD LARGEST
INSTITUTE.
LASTLY I'D LIKE TO WELCOME LEETA
HARLEM, HR COORDINATOR.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE
STRIVING AND WE'RE EXCITED TO
HAVE HER EXPERTISE ON BOARD WITH
IS NOT ONLY DO WE WANT TO FIND
GREAT TALENT, WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE WHEN WE GET THEM HERE, SET
THEM UP FOR SUCCESS AND WE HAVE
A ROBUST ONBOARDING PROGRAM FOR
OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS OUR
SUPERVISORS.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME THEM ALL TO
THE NIA FAMILY.
THANK YOU.
>> HI, GOOD MORNING.
I'M CINDY MCCONNELL, NIA
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, AND I'D
LIKE TO WELCOME TWO NEW MEMBERS
OF OUR TEAM.
CATIE-MEGAN MORAN IS TECHNICAL
INFORMATION SPECIALIST IN OUR
WEB AND DESIGN SERVICES BRANCH.
SHE'S LEADING QUALITY ASSURANCE
AND DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY,
FONDLY KNOWN AS SECTION 508,
COMPLIANCE FOR OCPL-MANAGED
WEBSITES.
AND WE HAVE QUITE A FEW.
SHE JOINS US FROM THE FEDERAL
MARITIME COMMISSION.
IN OUR MEDIA RELATIONS BRANCH, I
WELCOME REBECCA SEEL AS THE
PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST.
SHE IS MANAGING PRESS INQUIRIES
AND PRESS OUTREACH FOR THE
ENTIRE INSTITUTE, AND SHE JOINS
US FROM THE OFFICE OF THE
ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC
AFFAIRS AT HHS.
WELCOME, CATIE-MEGAN AND
REBECCA.
THANK YOU.
>> AND HI, I WOULD LIKE TO
INTRODUCE DR. DIANE HANNEMANN
WHO JOINED OLPIA IN MAY.
SHE BRINGS MORE THAN 15 YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE WORKING IN SCIENCE,
POLICY RESEARCH, PROGRAM
MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION.
SHE WAS A SCIENCE WRITER EDITOR
ON OUR COMMUNICATIONS CONTRACT
WITH NIA OCPL WITH A FOCUS ON
ALZHEIMER'S AND RELATED DISEASE
CONTENT.
HER FIRST CHAPTER AT NIH BEGAN
AS ANALYST IN THE NIH OFFICE OF
SCIENCE POLICY WHERE SHE
PROVIDED COORDINATION POFL SEE
ISSUES RELATING TO EMERGING
TECHNOLOGIES AND ALSO
COORDINATED NIH ACTIVITIES WITH
THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY.
DIANE, WHO IS HERE TODAY, IF YOU
WANT TO STAND UP, HAS HER PH.D.
IN MOLECULAR BIOPHYSICS AND
BIOCHEMISTRY FROM YALE
UNIVERSITY AND SHE'S BEEN THE
RECIPIENT OF NUMEROUS AWARDS
INCLUDING THE AAS SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY POLICY IF FELLOWSHI.
IN HER NEW ROLE SHE WILL
FACILITATE ENGAGEMENT WITH
EXTERNAL PARTNERS INCLUDING
ADVOCACY -- PLEASE JOIN ME IN
WELCOMING HER.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT TO YOU
THE NEW ACQUISITION OF THE
INTRAMURAL PROGRAM.
THE INTRAMURAL PROGRAM EXPANDED
IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, MOSTLY
BECAUSE OF THE CREATION OF CARD.
WE HAVE ACQUIRED OTHER PEOPLE
THAT CAN HANDLE THE INCREASING
AMOUNT OF WORKLOAD THAT IS
COMING FROM THIS EXPANSION.
SO GREGORY NOLAND,
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, MOSTLY
GOING TO WORK ON COMPUTER -- AND
HE WILL PROVIDE EXPERTISE, HE
HAS ALREADY LOTS OF EXPERIENCE
COMING FROM THE CLINICAL CENTER.
TRACY ANDERSON ALSO JOINS OUR
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE
SPECIALIZING IN RECRUITMENT,
RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWING AND
WRITING ACQUISITION DOCUMENTS,
CONDUCTING MARKET RESEARCH,
ISSUING SOLICITATIONS AND
AWARDING CONTRACTORS.
HE JOINS US FROM MAGNA.
PRINCESS KING ALSO JOINS AS AN
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER ALSO IN
THE PROCUREMENT OFFICE.
SHE WILL PROVIDE MANAGEMENT OF A
NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES, MOSTLY THE IN AREA OF
BUDGET, WHERE SHE IS
PARTICULARLY EXPERIENCED IN
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT,
PURCHASING, PROCUREMENT,
CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND
MANAGEMENT.
SHE JOINS US FROM SJI
INDUSTRIES.
KAYLEE BEKLIK, ADMINISTRATIVE
OFFICER ALSO, SHE WILL BE IN
THE -- DIRECTLY IN THE NIA/IRP
STRAYTIVE OFFICE, SUPPORTING
LABORATORIES WITH ADMINISTRATIVE
TASKS MOSTLY TO HELP THIS WITH
TRAVEL, PERSONNEL, AND ALSO THE
SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH
YOU KNOW IS VERY, YOU KNOW,
POPULAR AND VERY LARGE AND SHE
JOINED US FROM AESTHETIC --
KIMBERLEY BILLINGSLEY, STAFF
SCIENTIST, SHE HAS EXCEPTIONAL
SKILL IN THE HANDLING AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW
TECHNOLOGIES, SO WE REALLY
WELCOME HER AS ONE OF THE POINT
SCIENTISTS THAT WILL DEVELOP --
SHE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
DEVELOPMENT OF THIRD GENERATION
SEQUENCING, ALSO USING DNA AND
RNA FROM HUMAN BLOOD, CELL AND
TISSUE.
SHE JOINS FROM THE LABORATORY OF
MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIOR AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL.
SANDRA FOGEL, PROGRAM
SPECIALIST, ALSO WILL BE IN THE
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, CARD,
ASSISTS WITH ONBOARDING FELLOWS,
SUMMER STUDENTS AND VOLUNTEERS,
AND JOINS US FROM THE NAVAL
SURFACE WARFARE CENTER.
JERRY ANTONE IS A BIOLOGIST,
ESPECIALLY IN BASIC AND
TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE.
HE WILL SUPPORT THE RESEARCH
ACTIVITIES OF CARD AND
ESPECIALLY BENCH SCIENCE IN
SUPPORT OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH,
AND JOINS US FROM RESEARCH
ASSOCIATE POSITION AT THE
TRANSLATIONAL GENOMICS RESEARCH
INSTITUTE.
KIELEE TOEPFER, SHE IS GOING TO
WORK ON THE NON-HUMAN PRIMATE
CORE FACILITY.
SHE PROVIDES SCIENTIFIC
KNOWLEDGE, TECHNICAL EXPERTISE
AND INSTRUMENTATION OVERSIGHT,
AS SHE WILL BE MAINTAINING
PRIMARY OVERSIGHT OF THE HEALTH
OF OUR NON-HUMAN PRIMATES,
FEEDING ISSUES FOR ALL PROJECTS
OF OUR COMMUNITY AND JOINS US
FROM THE CHARLES RIVER
LABORATORIES.
SO TIANYI HUANG IS A NEW
TENURE-TRACK INVESTIGATOR.
HE IS GOING TO BE WORKING ON
SLEEP HEALTH AND AGING-RELATED
PHENOTYPES, AND HE'S GOING TO
OVERSEE THE SLEEP HEALTH AND
AGING-RELATED PHENOTYPES UNIT,
CALLED SHARP.
AND HE JOINS US FROM HARVARD
MEDICAL SCHOOL, HE JOINED VERY
RECENTLY.
INDIRA TURNEY, EARL STADTMAN
TENURE-TRACK INVESTIGATOR, SHE
IS GOING TO HELP WITH THE BRAIN
HEALTH EQUITY UNIT.
SHE IS ALREADY AN NIH
DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR AND JOINS
US FROM COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY.
SHE WILL BE WORKING ON HEALTH
DISPARITY IN COGNITIVE DECLINE
IN DEMENTIA, AND HER WORK WILL
BE BASED ON NEUROIMAGING.
NADER SHEHADEH IS WORKING FOR US
SAYSAS A BIOLOGIST.
HE WILL BE SUPPORTING THE
CLINICAL CORE LAB AND IN
PERFORMING SOME OF THE ANALYSIS
FROM SAMPLES COLLECTED IN THE
STUDIES.
ALSO STARTING TO DEVELOP SOME
NEW TESTS THAT -- IN HUMAN.
SHE'S A MEMBER OF THE -- TEAM
AND PREVIOUSLY AT NCI.
TINA GUPTA IS OUR NEW VERY
BRIGHT STAFF CLINICIAN.
SHE IS PART OF THE CLINICAL
RESEARCH CORE.
SHE PROVIDES CLINICAL OVERSIGHT
FOR THE BALTIMORE LONGITUDAL
STUDY, SHE JOINS US FROM SIBLEY
MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
SHE'S ALREADY AT THE CORE VERY
MUCH INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING THAT
IS HAPPENING INCLUDING LEARNING
TO DO MUSCLE AND SKIN BIOPSY.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS ALLISON
HERMAN, SHE'S BEEN AT NIA
BEFORE, SHE'S NOW HIRED AS A
TENURE-TRACK INVESTIGATOR FROM
THE STADTMAN PROGRAM.
SHE'S LEADING THE VASCULAR AGING
BIOLOGY UNIT IN THE LABORATORY
OF VASCULAR SCIENCE, AND JOINING
WITHIN NIA, WHERE SHE WAS AN
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH SCHOLAR.
CYNTHIA CHISOLM WAS ALSO WITH US
AS A CONTRACTOR.
SHE IS STAFF SCIENTIST IN THE
SECTION OF COMPARATIVE MEDICINE.
SHE IS SUPPORTING A WIDE VARIETY
OF SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ON AGING
AND ALSO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY
OF THE TRAINING AND QUALITY
CONTROL THAT OCCUR IN OUR ANIMAL
FACILITY, AND SHE WAS ALREADY IN
CMS BEFORE.
RACHAEL DOWS, PROGRAM
SPECIALIST, INTRAMURAL WORKFORCE
MANAGEMENT SECTION, SHE SUPPORTS
THE SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR AND
HELPS WITH LARGE OPERATION THAT
OCCURS IN THE OFFICE.
SHE JOINS US FROM A CONTRACT
POSITION ALSO WITHIN THE OFFICE
OF THE SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR.
ANNA HOLLAND IS A VERY, VERY
RECENT ACQUISITION, SHE WAS
STAFF ASSISTANT IN THE
INTRAMURAL WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT
SECTION IN THE OFFICE OF
SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR.
SHE WILL SUPPORT DIRECTOR BY
MANAGE CALENDAR, ARRANGING
TRAVEL, MANAGING THE OSD BUDGET
AND OTHER SPECIAL PROJECTS.
SHE JOINS US FROM EXECUTIVE
ASSISTANT POSITION TO THE
HONORABLE COMMISSIONER ANNA
GOMEZ.
TOWANDA COBIA, PROGRAM
SPECIALIST, SHE WILL BE IN
CHARGE OF RECRUITMENT AND
STRATEGIC PLANNING IN THE OFFICE
OF THE SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR.
SHE WILL SUPPORT TITLE 42
RECRUITMENT AND WILL BE HIGHLY
INVOLVED IN THE OFFICE OF
SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR-HOSTED
EVENTS AND OTHER IRP-WIDE
INITIATIVES.
SHE JOINS US FROM PROGRAM
ANALYST POSITION AT THE CENTERS
FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID
SERVICES.
I THINK THIS IS THE LAST ONE,
ANANGELA JACKSON ALSO A VERY
RECENT ACQUISITION.
SHE'S A PROGRAM SPECIALIST,
RECRUITMENT AND STRATEGIC
PLANNING SECTION IN THE OFFICE
OF THE SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR.
SHE SUPPORTS TITLE
42 RECRUITMENT EFFORTS, AND
SHE'S ALSO HIGHLY INVOLVED IN
ALL THE EVENTS IRP-WIDE
ORGANIZED BY THE OFFICE OF THE
SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR, AND JOINS
US FROM THE BATTALION MISSION
SUPPORT SPECIALIST POSITION
WITHIN THE U.S. MILITARY
ENTRANCE PROCESSING COMMAND.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE
INTRODUCTIONS AS WE ENRICH THE
RESOURCES HERE, THE PEOPLE AT
NIA WHO MAKE OUR WORK HAPPEN.
FINALLY, WE WANT TO PRESENT ALL
THESE LINKS TO YOU, IN CASE YOU
HAVEN'T HEARD ENOUGH FROM US OR
OF US, WAYS TO STAY INFORMED AND
CONNECTED BETWEEN OUR MEETINGS.
WE HOPE YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
THIS.
AND I THINK WE'RE NOW OPEN TO
QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT
ANYTHING YOU'VE HEARD SO FAR
THIS MORNING.
>> QUESTIONS FOR DR. HODES?
SANJAY?
>> THANK YOU, DR. HODES, FOR ALL
THAT INFORMATION.
IS IT POSSIBLE YOU COULD SHARE
WITH US SOMETHING ABOUT THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR DEMENTIA
AND HOW DOES IT RELATE TO NIA?
I JUST AM NOT INFORMED ABOUT IT.
>> AS NOTED IN PASSING, THIS WAS
LEGISLATION NOT IN
APPROPRIATIONS BULL SO CALLED
AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION THAT
PROPOSED A REORGANIZATION OF NIH
OVERALL TAKING ITS 27 INSTITUTES
AND CENTERS DOWN TO ABOUT 15.
SO THERE'S ENORMOUS CHANGE AS
YOU CAN IMAGINE, VERY FEW OF THE
CURRENT INSTITUTES RETAIN THEIR
SINK LAIRSINGULARITY OF PURPOSE.
SO NIA APPEARS -- DEMENTIA DOES
APPEAR.
CHILD HEALTH DISAPPEARS -- MANY
DISAPPEAR AND OR EMERGED.
AT THIS STAGE, THERE'S REALLY NO
FORWARD LEGISLATIVE PROCESS OR
PROGRESS.
IT'S NOT A MATTER OF
APPROPRIATIONS YET, SO IT'S A
FUNNY STATE IN WHICH WE WAIT TO
SEE WHAT EVENTS UNFOLD.
RECEIVED A FAIR BIT OF A I
TENSION.
AND IF YOU WANT TO --
>> SO ACTUALLY, SANJAY, I JUST
SENT YOU THE LINKS TO THE AGS
COMMENT LETTER ON THIS AND ALSO
WE HAD AN EDITORIAL BY MARK
SUPIANO IN THE JOURNAL OF JAIRNT
GERENTOLOGICAL NURSING WHICH I'M
PLEASED TO SHARE WITH ALL
ACCOUNTS BOTH WITH ALL
COUNCILMEMBERS.
THE AUTHORIZING LANGUAGE IS
BURIED IN THE HOUSE
APPROPRIATIONS BILL AS I
UNDERSTAND IT WHICH SEEMS TO BE
DEAD IN THE WATER IN THIS
CONGRESS.
THEY'RE CURRENTLY NEGOTIATING A
CONTINUING RESOLUTION IN BOTH
CHAMBERS WITH SOME DISAGREEMENT
ABOUT HOW LONG THAT RESOLUTION
WOULD TAKE US, BUT TRYING TO
AVOID THE SEPTEMBER 30TH CLIFF
OF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.
WHICH IS NOT GREAT FOR EITHER
PARTY TO HAVE ON THE CUSP OF A
NATIONAL ELECTION, I WOULD SAY,
SO I THINK THERE'S -- THEY WILL
ARRIVE AT A CONTINUING
RESOLUTION.
SO THE QUESTION REALLY IS, WILL
THIS RE-APPEAR IN THE NEXT
CONGRESS, AND I THINK THAT THERE
WAS A VERY STRONG OUTPOURING OF
LETTERS, BECAUSE AS RICHARD
NOTED, IT WASN'T JUST THE NIA
THAT WAS GOING TO BE IMPACTED.
NHLBI WAS GOING TO DISAPPEAR AND
BE MELDED WITH NIDDK.
SO PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE, AT
LEAST ON THE ORGANIZATIONAL
SIDE, SORT OF PERKED UP AND
SUBMITTED LETTERS.
SO IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN.
FOR THOSE SORT OF WITH INTEREST
IN WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SENATE
ON THIS, DR. CASSIDY HAS A WHITE
PAPER PROPOSAL THAT IS FOCUSED
ON RESTRUCTURING NIH WRIT LARGE,
IT HASN'T PEERED IN AUTHORIZED
LEGISLATION AT ALL.
FINALLY, THE HOUSE PROPOSAL IS
INTERESTING, AND AGS COMMENTED
ON THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION,
WHICH IS ANY REORGANIZATION OF
NIH SHOULD BE PRECEDED BY AN
EXTERNAL COMMISSION REPORT BY AN
ORGANIZATION LIKE THE NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING
AND MEDICINE, AND THEN THAT
WOULD BE FOLLOWED BY A TRUE
BIPARTISAN LOOK AT WHAT THAT
REPORT SAYS.
AND CERTAINLY CALLED FOR THE
HOUSE PROPOSAL DID NOT REFLECT
INPUT FROM THE SCIENTIFIC
COMMUNITY, NOR DID IT REFLECT
INPUT FROM THE INSTITUTES
THEMSELVES.
SO I THINK IT'S NOT GOING
ANYPLACE IN THIS CONGRESS BUT
GUESS I SHOULD ALWAYS END WITH
THE NEVER SAY NEVER CAVEAT OF
PEOPLE WHO SPEND FAR MORE TIME
ON THE HILL THAN I DO.
>> THANK YOU, APPRECIATE THE
COMMENTS.
AS A GENERALITY, WE DO NOT
COMMENT ON PENDING LEGISLATION,
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT.
>> JUST RELATED TO THAT, STLR
ANY -- DO WE KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE
DRIVING -- ANY CONCERNS, FORCES
OR PERSPECTIVES THAT WOULD PUSH
THE IDEAS FOR REORGANIZING OR
MAKING THESE CHANGES, OR IS THAT
TOO MUCH COMMENTING ON PENDING
THINGS?
>> I THINK I'M THE RESIDENT
COMMENTATOR ON THAT.
>> I MEAN, ARE THERE THINGS --
ARE THERE CONCERNS ABOUT
INSTITUTES OR WHAT DRIVES THIS?
>> YEAH, SO THE SECOND HALF OF
THE PROPOSAL, THE RESTRUCTURING
PROPOSAL IN THE HOUSE IS FOCUSED
ON REDUCING THE GOVERNMENT
SUPPORT FOR INDIRECT COSTS.
SO WE THINK THAT MIGHT BE THE
DRIVING PIECE OF THIS, SO THE
REORGANIZATION IS ONE PIECE, BUT
THE ACTUAL REAL DRIVER IS THAT
WE SHOULD SHIFT MORE OF THE
INDIRECT COSTS OF DOING RESEARCH
OFF ON THE INSTITUTIONS THAT DO
THAT RESEARCH.
AND AGAIN, THAT WOULD NEED, LIKE
THE RESTRUCTURING, IT SHOULD
HAVE A ROBUST DISCUSSION WITH
PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERTS EXTERNAL
TO NIH AS A PART OF THAT NASEM
REPORT.
>> THAT'S HELPFUL.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS?
>> I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
THIS IS YANIRA.
NANCY, WHO IS LEADING THAT
LEGISLATION IN CONGRESS?
DO YOU KNOW?
>> OH, YANIRA, I DO KNOW BUT I
DON'T HAVE THE NAME IN MY HEAD.
SHE IS ACTUALLY NOT RUNNING FOR
RE-ELECTION.
I CAN SEND THAT TO YOU.
BUT IT IS -- THE COMMITTEE THAT
IS LEADING IS THE ENERGY AND
COMMERCE COMMITTEE.
>> OKAY.
IF YOU CAN SEND SOMETHING, THAT
WOULD BE GREAT.
THANKS, NANCY.
>> JUST TWO BRIEF COMMENTS BASED
ON THE PRESENTATIONS.
I LIKE SEEING THE ONGOING IN
TERMS OF THERAPEUTIC TARGETS AND
MECHANISMS THE ONGOING DIVERSITY
OF TARGETS, SO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR UPDATE ON THAT.
I THINK IT'S REALLY HEALTHY FOR
THE FIELD.
AND AMYLOID AND TAU CONTINUES,
BUT HAVING THE DIVERSE BIOLOGY,
THINK IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT. I
THINK NIA HAS DONE AN AWESOME
JOB IN THAT PIPELINE.
THEN SECONDLY, JUST SEEING ALL
THE NEW PEOPLE JOIN, IT'S JUST A
REMINDER THAT THIS IS A VERY
MULTIDISCIPLINARY EFFORT, AND
PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM VARIOUS
BACKGROUNDS AND DISCIPLINES, SO
I THINK THAT'S REALLY HEALTHY
FOR THE INSTITUTE AS WELL.
SO APPRECIATE THOSE UPDATES.
>> TO THAT, FRANK, I'LL JUST
COMMENT IN RECOGNITION AND
APPRECIATION OF OUR STAFF.
AS THE INSTITUTE, ITS BUDGET,
APPROPRIATIONS HAVE INCREASED,
THERE'S BEEN A LAG, WE'RE JUST
CATCHING UP NOW IN TERMS OF
STAFF, WHICH IS TO SAY THAT THE
WORKLOAD OF OUR STAFF HAS BEEN
ENORMOUS, ABOVE AND BEYOND
REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS AND IN
ADDITION TO BRINGING A DIVERSITY
OF TALENT, WE'RE ALSO GETTING
SOME MUCH NEEDED HELP AND
REINFORCEMENT TO A STAFF THAT'S
BEEN DOING YEOMAN'S WORK PLUS
OVER THESE PAST YEARS.
>> THAT'S GREAT AND AS ONE OF
THE GUILTY PEOPLE CREATING SOME
OF THAT WORK, REALLY APPRECIATE
THEY'RE GETTING HELP.
THANK YOU.
>> VERY GOOD, THANK YOU.
SANJAY?
>> I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT
FRANK JUST SAID AND ALSO THE
APPLICATION IN THE REAL WORLD,
WHEN IT COMES TO THERAPEUTICS,
HOW THE FINDINGS CAN REPLY TO
PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE
COMORBIDITIES AND ALL THAT, AND
I THINK THAT AREA OF RESEARCH IS
ALSO PIVOTAL THAT YOU'RE
SUPPORTING.
>> OKAY.
WE'LL MOVE ON THEN.
COUNCILMEMBERS IN OUR ELECTRONIC
COUNCIL BOOK IS THE MINUTES FROM
OUR LAST MEETING.
FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO ASK IF
ANYONE HAS ANY CORRECTIONS OR
COMMENTS ON THOSE MINUTES?
NOT HEARING ANY, IF I COULD GET
CONCURRENCE FOR THOSE MINUTES
FROM THE LAST MEETING?
SECOND?
ALL IN FAVOR?
ANY OPPOSED?
SO WE HAVE CONCURRENCE FOR THE
MINUTES FROM THE LAST COUNCIL
MEETING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
JUST AS ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR OUR
FUTURE MEETING DATES, THEY'RE UP
ON THE SCREEN NOW.
WE HAVE BOTH 2025 AND 2026.
2026
MEETING DATES.
WE CAN SEND THOSE TO YOU ALL TOO
TO PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR,
BLOCK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THOSE
FUTURE DATES.
BECAUSE WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT
EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO COME TO
THOSE MEETINGS.
AGAIN, WE ALWAYS HAVE OUR MAY
AND OUR SEPTEMBER COUNCIL
MEETINGS IN PERSON AND OUR
JANUARY ONES WILL BE VIRTUAL.
WITH THAT, WE HAVE A REALLY
BITTERSWEET KIND OF PRESENTATION
NEXT OF OUR RETIRING MEMBERS FOR
2024, AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER
TO RICHARD FOR THOSE.
>> YES, BITTERSWEET INDEED.
TIME FLIES AS REFLECTED IN THOSE
OF YOU WHO ARE NOW COMPLETING
THE TERM ON COUNCIL AND MOVING
ON.
SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
THANK YOU, EXPRESS OUR
APPRECIATION AND TO ASK EACH OF
YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO EXPRESS
SOME WORDS OF WISDOM AS YOU'VE
BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST FOUR
YEARS.
SO YADONG, LET ME BEGIN WITH
YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE ENORMOUS
RESOURCE YOU'VE BEEN TO ALL OF
US IN NEUROSCIENCE,
NEUROBIOLOGY, BASIC SCIENCE AND
TRANSLATION ON COUNCIL AND IN
ANCILLARY ACTIVITIES.
YOUR WISDOM, YOUR ROLE IN
PARTICULAR IN SPECIAL ACTIONS AS
WELL AS GENERAL CONVERSATION HAS
BEEN A GREAT ASSET.
WE'LL SURE MISS THIS AND HOPE
THAT WE CAN HAVE THE NEXT
GENERATION OF EXPERTISE AND
COMMITMENT REFLECT THE SAME
QUALITY YOU'VE GIVEN TO US, SO
PLEASE ASK YOU TO EXPRESS A FEW
WORDS IF YOU'D LIKE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE
NICE WORDS.
I JUST REALLY WANT TO SAY A FEW
WORDS HERE.
IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO
WORKING ON THIS COUNCIL, WORKING
WITH EVERYONE HERE, ENJOYABLE.
I SHOULD SAY BEFORE I JOINED
THIS COUNCIL, I KNOW I'VE BEEN
VERY APPRECIATIVE FOR THE
SUPPORT FOR MANY NIA GRANTS BUT
AFTER JOINING I DEFINITELY
LEARNED A LOT.
WORKING ON THE CONCEPT
CLEARANCE, I REALLY RECOGNIZE
HOW MUCH EFFORT NIA STAFF REALLY
PUT ON AND USUALLY START FROM
WORKSHOP, ORGANIZE THOSE
MEETING -- CONCEPT AND DISCUSS
INTERNALLY AND THEN PUT ON THE
COUNCIL.
SO THIS IS REALLY LEARNING
ACTUALLY TO ME, KNOWING THIS, I
REALLY APPRECIATE FOR THIS
LEADERSHIP OF NIA AND ALSO THE
STAFF, PROGRAM OFFICERS PUT ALL
THIS EFFORT AND MAKE THOSE --
AND ALSO VERY FULL LOOKING
CONCEPT TO GO THROUGH THIS
COUNCIL.
SECOND I ALSO REALLY ENJOY
WORKING WITH ALL THESE
COUNCILMEMBERS AND KNOWING EACH
ONE, A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND
NICE MEMORY, ESPECIALLY IN SOME
DINNERS, LIKE YESTERDAY'S
DINNER, I LEARNED QUITE A LOT
FROM EACH OTHER MEMBERS, AND
NEVER FORGOT SOME OF THOSE
STORIES, SO REALLY ENJOY WORKING
WITH EVERYONE, AND AGAIN THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT OF
THE COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'LL JUST SAY, IN THE FUTURE
ANYTHING I CAN BE HELPFUL JU
CALL ME AND I'LL DO IT.
>> CYNTHIA HULING-HUMMEL.
THIS IS LIKE SAYING GOODBYE TO
FAMILY.
IT REFLECTS HOW TIME FLIES.
>.I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING
WITH CYNTHIA ON THE NATIONAL
ALZHEIMER'S COUNCIL.
YOUR WISDOM AND HUMANITY YOU
BROUGHT TO ALL OF THIS,
COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION HAVE
BEEN INSPIRATIONAL TO ALL OF US,
AND WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU
ONCE AGAIN.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
WELL, I ATTENDED MY FIRST NACA
MEETING ON TUESDAY,
JANUARY 12TH, 2021.
I LOOKED IT UP.
I ZOOMED IN ON MY CELL PHONE
FROM THE BACK SEAT OF AN UBER AS
I TRAVELED FROM MY HOME IN
ELMIRA TO STRONG HOSPITAL IN
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.
I STAYED ON THE CALL AS I WAS
TRANSPORTED TO A WHEELCHAIR, AND
THEN MOVED TO A GURNEY.
I ANSWERED ROLL CALL AS I
LISTENED TO THE PROCEEDINGS AND
I WAITED TO BE TAKEN IN TO HAVE
A BLOOD PATCH TO STOP THE
TERRIBLE HEADACHES THAT WERE
CAUSED BY MY LEAKING
CEREBROSPINAL FLUID.
MY BAD.
I HADN'T HEEDED MY DOCTOR'S
ADVICE AFTER A SPINAL TAP FOR
THE ADNI STUDY TO TAKE IT EASY,
AND I PAID THE PRICE AND I
STAYED ON THAT NACA ZOOM CALL
FOR AS LONG AS I COULD UNTIL I
WAS WHEELED INTO THE PROCEDURE
ROOM.
I HAVE TO CONFESS, I HAVE NO
IDEA WHAT WAS DISCUSSED THAT
DAY.
SO MUCH OF IT WAS ALPHABET SOUP
AND SO FAR OVER MY HEAD, I CAN
HONESTLY SAY, THOUGH, THAT IT
WAS A MEMORABLE START TO A
MEMORABLE FOUR YEARS ON NACA.
AND IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO
SERVE WITH ALL OF YOU.
I HAVE SO APPRECIATED YOUR
WISDOM AND INSIGHTS AS WE HAVE
CONSIDERED VARIOUS FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES.
PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY,
THOUGH, I HAVE APPRECIATED
HEARING YOUR INSIGHTS, YOUR
PERSONAL STORIES, WHEN YOU SPOKE
TO ME OVER BREAKS AND OVER LUNCH
ABOUT A PARENT, A COLLEAGUE, A
NEIGHBOR, LIVING WITH
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, AND HOW
THOSE HEART-WRENCHING
EXPERIENCES HAVE SHAPED YOUR
LIFE AND YOUR INTEREST AND YOUR
PASSION IN DEMENTIA RESEARCH.
AND YOU'VE BROUGHT THAT TO THIS
VERY TABLE, LENDING YOUR VOICE
TO THIS IMPORTANT WORK, AND I
WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE
OF YOU FOR SHARING YOUR
EXPERTISE AND YOUR IDEAS.
SO I AM A PREACHER AND I CAN'T
RESIST SHARING A FEW OF MY
REFLECTIONS AND HOPES WITH YOU
ALL, BUT I PROMISE TO KEEP MY
SERMON SHORT.
WHEN DR. HODES REACHED OUT TO ME
ABOUT SERVING ON NACA, I WAS
HONORED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR
THIS IMPORTANT ROLE AS THE FIRST
PERSON WITH A DIAGNOSIS TO SERVE
ON NACA AND TO HAVE BROUGHT MY
LIVED EXPERIENCE TO THIS TABLE.
AND I WOULD URGE YOU, MY
FRIENDS, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR
INSTITUTION HAS A RESEARCH
ADVISORY BOARD, WHERE WE, PEOPLE
LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S AND
OTHER DEMENTIAS, AS WELL AS OUR
CARE PARTNERS, SHARE OUR WISDOM
AND OUR EXPERTISE, BECAUSE WE
ARE THE EXPERTS, AND WE'RE IN
THIS TOGETHER.
I NEVER ENVISIONED PARTICIPATING
IN ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH.
IT WASN'T ON MY RADAR.
I WAS BUSY PASTORING AN ACTIVE
CHURCH IN LIONS, NEW YORK.
I WAS SINGING IN A ROCK AND ROLL
COUNTRY BAND AND WORKING ON MY
DOCTORATE IN MINISTRY.
THAT'S WHEN I STARTED
EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS OF MEMORY
LOSS.
MY MOTHER CLAIRE DIED WITH
ALZHEIMER'S AND SO DID HER
BROTHER AUSTIN.
MY MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER, MIMI,
DIED WITH SOME SORT OF DEMENTIA.
AND I JOINED ADNI IN 2010.
PARTICIPATING IN RESEARCH HAS
BEEN LIFE CHANGING FOR ME AND IT
GAVE ME PURPOSE AFTER I WAS
DIAGNOSED WITH A -- I CARRIED TO
COPIES SO MY DIAGNOSIS WASN'T A
SURPRISE BUT IT WAS A SADNESS.
BUT BY PARTICIPATING IN RESEARCH
I HONOR THE MEMORIES OF MY
FAMILY.
AND I FURTHERED SCIENCE.
BUT I HAD ANOTHER MOTIVE FOR
JOINING AN ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH
STUDY AND THAT WAS AND CONTINUES
TO BE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MY OWN
BRAIN HEALTH AS I PLAN FOR
WHAT'S AHEAD.
IT'S BEEN FRUSTRATING TO NOT
HAVE ACCESS TO MY PERSONAL DATA,
MY PERSONAL RESULTS, AND I ADMIT
I'VE BEEN A SQUEAKY WHEEL ON
THIS SUBJECT.
AND LAST YEAR A GROUP OF US,
COLLEAGUES FROM ACTC AND AGREED,
WE PUBLISHED A RESEARCH
PARTICIPANTS BILL OF RIGHTS IN
THE JOURNAL OF ALZHEIMER'S
DISEASE AND AS A RESULT OF OUR
NUDGING, THIS YEAR, FOR THE VERY
FIRST TIME, RESULTS OF BETA
AMYLOID PET SCANS WILL BE SHARED
WITH THOSE OF US WHO WERE IN
ADNI, AND IT BEEN A LONG TIME
COMING.
SO I ASK YOU, MY COLLEAGUES, TO
THE EXTENT THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO
SHAPE YOUR RESEARCH PROPOSALS AT
YOUR INSTITUTION TO ADOPT THE
RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS' BILL OF
RIGHTS AT YOUR INSTITUTION, AND
TO BUILD IN THE RETURN OF
PERSONAL RESEARCH RESULTS TO
RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS.
PLAN THAT IN YOUR FUNDING AND IN
YOUR STUDY.
JUST DO IT.
PERIOD.
I REALIZE SOME RESEARCH
PARTICIPANTS MAY NOT WANT TO
KNOW, BUT MANY OF US DO.
TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU'RE ABLE
TO INFLUENCE YOUR INSTITUTION,
EXPAND YOUR RESEARCH TO INCLUDE
RATHER THAN RULE OUT PERSONS
WITH COMORBIDITIES, BECAUSE THE
REALITY IS MOST OF US DO HAVE
COMORBIDITIES, AND WE NEED THAT
DATA TO SEE IF TREATMENTS AND
INTERVENTIONS WORK IN VARIOUS
POPULATIONS.
WE'VE HEARD THE REASONS WHY IT'S
SO DIFFICULT TO INCLUDE PEOPLE
WITH COMORBIDITIES, AS THERE ARE
SO MANY VARIABLES.
AND I'VE HEARD STORIES OF PEOPLE
WHO EXCLUDED FROM ALZHEIMER'S
RESEARCH STUDY BECAUSE OF A
COMMON MEDICAL CONDITION SUCH AS
DIABETES OR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.
BUT HERE'S THE THING.
IF WE'RE NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR
STUDIES, WE WON'T KNOW IF A
PROPOSED TREATMENT OR
INTERVENTION WILL WORK IN THAT
POPULATION SO WE NEED TO
CONTINUE TO EXPAND RESEARCH AND
ENSURE THAT RESEARCHERS AND
RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS REFLECT
THE FULL AND THE WONDERFUL
DIVERSITY OF OUR NATION.
DON'T EXPECT PEOPLE TO TRAVEL TO
YOUR INSTITUTION ACCORDING TO
YOUR SCHEDULES, ONE THAT WORKS
FOR YOU AND YOUR RESEARCH TEAM.
BRING YOUR RESEARCH TO THE
PEOPLE AND MAKE IT EASY FOR
PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE.
LOOK FOR WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE
YOUR RESEARCH.
DON'T THINK OF US AS PEOPLE TO
BE STUDIED BUT AS PARTNERS IN
RESEARCH.
IF WE HAVE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE
IN YOUR STUDY, WE MAY BE ABLE TO
BE OPEN TO BEING RESEARCH
AMBASSADORS, RECRUITING OTHERS
FROM OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT IF WE
DON'T HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE IN
YOUR RESEARCH, YOU MAY HAVE A
HARDER TIME MEETING YOUR DEI
GOAL.
I'M ALWAYS RECEIVING
INVITATIONS.
ESPECIALLY ON SOCIAL MEDIA
RECENTLY, FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH
DEMENTIA AND CARE PARTNERS TO
PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH, AND
I'VE CALLED TO GET MORE RESEARCH
ON SOME OF THEM AND I'VE BEEN
REJECTED BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A
CARE PARTNER WHO LIVES WITH ME.
IT'S ESTIMATED THAT IN THE
UNITED STATES, ONE-THIRD OF THE
PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA LIVE ALONE.
STATED ANOTHER WAY, AT LEAST
1 IN 7 INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH
DEMENTIA LIVES ALONE, A TOTAL OF
800,000 PEOPLE, AND I'M ONE OF
THEM.
I DON'T WANT ANYONE'S PITY, I'M
QUITE CONTENT IN MY LIVING
ARRANGEMENTS, BUT HERE'S THE
THING, I'VE BEEN TURNED AWAY TBR
SERVICES AND PROGRAMS ALSO FOR
PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA
BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A CARE
PARTNER TO ACCOMPANY ME.
I'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD I CAN'T
PARTICIPATE IN SOME PROJECTS
BECAUSE I HAVE NO INFORMANT.
OH, I HATE THAT WORD.
LIVE-IN.
SO I INVITE YOU, MY COLLEAGUES,
IN RESEARCH TO CONSIDER NOVEL
APPROACHES TO FUNDING, AND TO
SUPPORT THOSE OF US WHO ARE
MANAGING THIS DISEASE.
AND LIVING ALONE.
I MAY BE ENDING MY TERM ON NACA,
BUT I AM NOT DONE ADVOCATING FOR
THOSE AFFECTED BY ALZHEIMER'S
AND RELATED DEMENTIAS.
IN FACT, I'LL BE BACK HERE NEXT
WEEK FOR THE RESEARCH SUMMIT ON
A PANEL ADDRESSING PARTICIPANTS
AS DIRECT PARTNERS IN RESEARCH
AND I INVITE YOU TO ZOOM IN,
THOSE WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO JOIN
US IN PERSON.
AS I CLOSE, I WANT TO GIVE A
SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO YOU,
DR. HODES, FOR BELIEVING IN ME.
THANK YOU.
TO KEN, SUCH, JASMINE WHEREVER
SHE IS, AND ALL OF YOU, THANK
YOU ALL FOR DRAWING US TOGETHER.
IT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING
EXPERIENCE.
AND I KNOW YOU WILL GIVE A WARM
WELCOME TO MY SUCCESSOR, A
PERSON LIKE MYSELF, WITH A LIVED
EXPERIENCE OF ALZHEIMER'S
DISEASE.
THANK YOU.
>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR INSPIRING
US ALL AND REMINDING US ALL WHY
WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING AND
HOW WE CAN DO IT BETTER YET.
NEXT WE'LL TURN TO DAVID REUBEN,
WHO ALSO HAS SHARED HIS WISDOM
AND EXPERTISE, AND A PARTICULAR
INSISTENCE THAT WE PAY ATTENTION
TO THE REAL WORLD ISSUES THAT WE
ADDRESS, AND AN IMPORTANT AND
REFRESHING REFUSAL TO BE BOUND
BY APPARENT RULES AND
REGULATIONS WHEN THERE JUST
MIGHT BE A WAY TO DO THINGS
BETTER AND MORE EFFECTIVELY.
WE'LL MISS BOTH THE SUBJECT
MATTER EXPERTISE AND THE
ASSERTIVE IF NEED BE
ICONOCLASTIC APPROACH FOR DOING
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND THANK
YOU FOR SERVING US IN ALL THESE
ASPECTS.
>> LET ME JUST SAY, FIRST OF
ALL, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO
FOLLOW CYNTHIA.
YOU NEVER WANT TO BE IN THAT
POSITION.
IT TRULY HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO
WORK ON NACA, AND MOSTLY BECAUSE
TO SEE THE INNER WORKINGS OF
NIA.
AND I'VE DEVELOPED SUCH RESPECT
FOR THE PROCESSES, AS WELL AS
THE PEOPLE.
THIS IS A REALLY GOOD CULTURE
HERE.
AND THANK YOU, RICHARD, FOR
LEADING THAT CULTURE.
I THINK BACK WH TO WHEN I STARTD
ON NACA, OUR COHORT STARTED ON
NACA, THERE WAS THIS BIG PAN DID
PANDEMIC.
WE WERE ALL VIRTUAL, ALL SHUT
IN, AND AS BAD AS THINGS ARE, IN
MANY RESPECTS, THEY'RE SO MUCH
BETTER THAN THEY WERE THEN, SO
WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL.
I HAVE TO THANK A FEW PEOPLE,
SPECIFICALLY SINOGE AND JASMINE
WHO HAVE BAILED ME OUT TOO MANY
TIMES TO COUNT, INCLUDING
YESTERDAY.
SO THANK YOU, GUYS, AND IT'S
BEEN AN HONOR, IT'S A PLEASURE,
AND YOU GUYS ARE DOING THE RIGHT
THING.
ANYBODY WHO SAYS ANYTHING BAD
ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT, THEY
SHOULD COME TO NIA.
THANK YOU.
>> AND JULIE, AGAIN, WITH
PROFOUND THANKS FOR ALL YOU'VE
BROUGHT TO OUR COUNCIL, THE
EXPERIENCE YOU'VE HAD IN
ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH BUT NOT
LIMITED TO THATTER A OF
RESEARCH, FROM BASIC SCIENTIST
TRANSLATION INTO CLINICAL
ASPECTS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE,
AGAIN BOTH THE EXPERTISE, THE
COMMITMENT, PARTICIPATION AND
THE WISDOM OF THE GROUP HAVE
BEEN EXEMPLARY THESE PAST YEARS,
AND WE'LL MISS AND LOOK FORWARD
TO THE CHALLENGING TASK OF
FINDING SUCCESSORS WHO ARE
WORTHY OF THAT ROLE.
AND I TURN TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND LIKE MY PREDECESSORS, I
DON'T HAVE ANYTHING PREPARED AND
ONE OF THE REASONS IS THAT IT
CAME SO QUICKLY THAT I DIDN'T
KNOW I WAS GONE.
>> YOU'RE NOT.
>> BUT WE WERE STANDING WAITING
FOR THE VAN AND DAVID SAID, DO
YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE DONE,
THEY'RE ANNOUNCING WE'RE DONE?
I SAID, NO, REALLY?
AND APPARENTLY, PATRICIA DIDN'T
KNOW I WAS DONE EITHER BECAUSE
SHE THOUGHT I HAD ANOTHER YEAR.
BUT I THINK A LOT OF THIS HAS TO
DO WITH WHAT DAVID SAID AS WE
STARTED DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND
IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT TIME FOR
ALL OF US AND DIFFICULT TO GET
TO KNOW EVERYBODY HERE.
SO I REALLY FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN
ON FOR TWO YEARS, WHERE I'VE
GOTTEN TO KNOW EVERYBODY HERE SO
MUCH BETTER, AND I VALUE IT SO
MUCH.
AND I WANT TO ECHO WHAT OTHERS
HAD SAID, THAT I'VE LERCH LEARNO
MUCH ABOUT THE NIA AND HOW MUCH
EFFORT GOES TOWARDS DECIDING THE
RESEARCH THAT IS NEEDED FOR THE
FUTURE AND THE PRESENT AND HOW
BEST TO GO ABOUT IT, AND I HAVE
TO SAY COMING FROM AN MD WORLD
TOO, I HAD NO IDEA OF WHAT WAS
REALLY BEHIND RESEARCH, AND
WHO'S DIRECTING RESEARCH, AND TO
LEARN ABOUT ALL THIS IS REALLY
SPECIAL, REALLY SPECIAL, AND I
FEEL -- I WISH FOR ALL PEOPLE
WITHIN RESEARCH IN MEDICINE AND
SCIENCE, THAT THEY WOULD KNOW AS
MUCH AS THEY KNOW, AS AS I DO N,
ABOUT THE INNER WORKINGS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FEEL
PASSIONATE ABOUT AFTER LEARNING
ALL OF THIS IS THAT WE DO SHOW
PEOPLE WHAT IS THE NIH, OUR
STUDENTS, OUR UNDERGRADUATES,
OUR GRADUATE STUDENTS, OF HOW
MUCH THEY CAN BE A PART OF THIS
WONDERFUL COMMUNITY ON IMPARTING
BETTER HEALTH TO THE WORLD IN
SCIENCE.
SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT CONTINUING
THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE.
AND THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH FOR
INVITING ME AND GIVING ME THIS
HO MORE.
THISHONOR.
IT'S TRULY BEEN A PLEASURE, I'VE
ENJOYED EVERYBODY WHO'S BEHIND
THIS, RICHARD, PATRICIA FOR
BEING SUCH A GREAT SPORT WHEN I
WAS TERRIFIED ON BEING ON THE
TASK FORCE ON AGING.
THANK YOU AGAIN.
>> LET ME BRIEFLY RESPOND TO
JULIE AND INDEED ALL OF YOU.
ONE OF THE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF
WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU, HAVING
THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH ALL
OF YOU, IS HOW YOU FUNCTION AS A
GROUP IN CONCERT AND COMMUNITY
ALONG WITH US.
EVIDENT WHEN WE WERE UNABLE TO
MEET IN PERSON, AND A LOT OF
FOLKS GOT KIND OF COMFORTABLE
NOT HAVING TO MAKE A TRIP ACROSS
COUNTRY OR ACROSS DOWN.
IT'S MUCH EASIER NOT TO DO THAT,
BUT THE EXCITEMENT AND
ENTHUSIASM WITH WHICH YOU ALL
RESPONDED WHEN WE ASKED WHAT YOU
THOUGHT ABOUT COMING BACK IN
PERSON WAS REFLECTIVE, I THINK,
OF THE COMMITMENT IN THE
COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE.
THOSE WHO AREN'T HERE TODAY
AREN'T BECAUSE OF VERY
COMPELLING REASONS OF VARIOUS
SORT, BUT IT'S BEEN AN ENORMOUS
REFLECTION ON THE QUALITY OF THE
GROUP AS THEY FUNCTION, AND TO
JULIE'S COMMENT AGAIN ABOUT
HAVING LEARNED ABOUT WHAT NIA IS
AND NIH IS AND HOW IT FUNCTIONS,
ALL OF YOU AMONG THE MANY ROLES
I'LL BE CALLING UPON YOU IN THE
FUTURE, BUT ALSO THE ROLE OF
BEING AMBASSADORS TO SHARE THIS
INFORMATION, AND MAYBE THE MOST
IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THAT IS TO
SHARE THE SINCERE INVITATION
THAT WE GIVE TO ALL OF THE
RESEARCH COMMUNITY OR ADVOCATES
TO WORK WITH US, THERE SHOULD BE
NO INTIM NATION, NO BARRIER, NO
CONCERN ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO
CALL US, IT'S NOT AN IMPOSITION,
IT'S WHAT WE'RE ABOUT AND IT'S
WHAT WE LIVE AND WORK FOR.
SO WHEN IN DOUBT, CONTACT
SOMEONE.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO, CONTACT
ME, QUITE LITERALLY, AMY OR KEN,
ANYONE WHOSE NAME YOU REMEMBER,
USUALLY PRETTY EASY, FIRST NAME,
DOT, LAST NAME, DOT NIH DOT
GOFF.
THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE LINER WE
GIVE TO PEOPLE IS THAT PLEASE
REMEMBER THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH
YOU AND FOR YOU, AND DO NOT
HESITATE BUT RATHER BE EB
ENCOURAGED TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH
US.
SO THANK YOU AS A GROUP AND A
COHORT, YOU'LL BE TOUGH TO BEAT,
BUT WE'LL DO OUR VERY BEST TO
MATCH WHAT YOU'VE COMMITTED AND
CONTRIBUTED TO US.
THANK YOU.
>> RICHARD, IF I MAKE TAKE A
POINT OF PRIVILEGE AND JUST TAKE
A SECOND TO ACKNOWLEDGE JULIE.
TO YOUR POINT ABOUT BEING
SLIGHTLY INTIMIDATED, I JUST
WANT TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE,
THE TASK FORCE REALLY IS IN
SERVICE TO THE FULL COUNCIL, AND
I AM ENORMOUSLY GRATEFUL FOR THE
WISDOM AND EXPERTISE YOU BROUGHT
FORWARD.
YOU CAME IN, ARMS WIDE OPEN, AND
EMBRACED THE PROCESS AND JUST A
WORD TO THE WISE, ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT I LEARNED FROM YOU
IN OBSERVING YOUR LEADERSHIP
STYLE, YOU WERE VERY TRANSPARENT
IN ACKNOWLEDGING THIS IS NEW FOR
ME, AND HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT
I WOULD LEARN FROM MY TEAM AND
MY STAFF AT RUSH, AN THESE ARE
THE THINGS THAT WE CAN
INCORPORATE GOING FORWARD AS
WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE BUILD A
COMPELLING AGENDA AND
CONVERSATION.
FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT
PERSPECTIVE, AND I JUST
ENCOURAGE EVERYONE, IF YOU SEE
ME COMING YOUR WAY, NOT TO RUN
IN FEAR, AND CHAT TO JULIE AND
SEE WHAT STRATEGY SHE USED TO
CONSIDER TAKING ON A YES TO
CHAIR THE TASK FORCE, BUT I
REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR
EXPERTISE AND THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'M ACTUALLY SADDENED THAT I'M
GOING TO LEAVE BEFORE I GET AN
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ANOTHER
YEAR, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN LEARNING
SO MUCH, AND IT'S REALLY BEEN A
GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND I'M
GOING TO BRING THAT BACK TO MY
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH
CENTER AND HOPEFULLY CONTINUE
THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
THANK YOU.
>> I'D ASK YOU ALL TO REMEMBER
THAT YOU'LL KNOW AND RECALL THE
PROCESS IS SOMETIMES ARDUOUS AND
COMPLEX IN BEING BROUGHT ON
BOARD TO COUNCIL.
THE SAME THING WILL HAPPEN TO
THE NEXT GROUP, WHICH MEANS THAT
THIS MAY NOT BE THE LAST TIME WE
SEE YOU.
SO PLEASE BE AS OPEN AS YOU HAVE
CLAIMED TO BE NOW TO CONTINUING
TO SERVE, IF WE CALL UPON YOU.
WE MAY WELL SEE YOU IN JANUARY,
REMEMBER JANUARY WILL BE REMOTE,
BUT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, WE'LL
FIND WAYS TO CONTINUE THE
SERVICE.
>> AND THANK YOU ALL, TOO.
IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE WORKING
WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE ALL THE
TIME AND EFFORT YOU'VE HAD PUT
INTO THE COUNCIL, BECAUSE
BELIEVE ME, YOUR EXPERTISE,
KNOWLEDGE, INSIGHT, HAS BEEN
INCORPORATED IN EVERYTHING WE DO
AS AN INSTITUTE, SO YOUR LEGACY
MOVES ON AND AS RICHARD SAID,
YOU ARE OUR AMBASSADORS AND
ALWAYS WILL CONTINUE TO BE, SO
WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.
SO THANK YOU.
SO WE WILL MOVE FORWARD NOW TO,
JULIE, I GUESS I'M GOING TO TURN
IT OVER TO YOU, YOU AND YA NEIRA
TO GIVE US THE REPORT ON THE
TASK FORCE ON MINORITY AGING.
>> I THINK YANIRA IS GOING TO
GET STARTED.
>> THANK YOU, DR. SCHNEIDER.
SO WE HAD A WONDERFUL LINEUP OF
SPEAKERS YESTERDAY MORNING.
WE STARTED WITH DR. GOODMAN'S
PRESENTATION WHICH CENTERED ON
DATA, DIVERSITY AND AGING.
HE HIGHLIGHTED THAT SYSTEMATIC
RACISM PERSISTS.
THE DATA SHOWS THAT WE HAVE A
PROBLEM WITH DISPARITIES, AND
THE DATA ITSELF HAS BEEN
CORRUPTED.
HE FURTHER INDICATED THAT OUR
LEGACY FOLLOWS US, RACISM ISN'T
IMPRINTED IN OUR DATASETS, BUT
WE NEED BIG DATASET TO GUIDE
PRACTICE, TO GUIDE RESEARCH AND
TO GUIDE POLICY.
FLAWCIAL AND TO TRAIN ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE SYSTEMS.
WE MUST, THEREFORE, WORK TO
ENSURE MORE ACCURATE AND
UNBIASED DATASETS.
WE MUST ALSO UNDERSTAND THE
UTILITY AND LIMITATIONS OFF UR R
COMPUTATIONAL TOOLS.
WE TALKED ABOUT RACISM IS WRONG
UNDER ANY MORAL ANALYSIS, AND WE
HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX
IT.
HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT -- HE
CALLED OUT RACISM AND AGEISM AND
PURSUING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND
INCLUSION AS CIVIC DUTIES.
DATA AND ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE, DEI IS NOT WOKE.
IT IS AN UNDERTAKING, IT IS AN
UNDERTAKING TO MEET A BOLD FACE
MORAL OBLIGATION.
IN FIXING THIS PROBLEM, WE NEED
TO BE INTERDISCIPLINARY, WE ARE
BEST ABLE TO SUCCEED WHEN WE
KNOW WHAT OUR OTHER COLLEAGUES
ARE DOING.
WE ALSO NEED A MULTIPRONG
APPROACH.
HE CONCLUDED BY REITERATING THAT
THE DATA THAT WE HAVE IS BIASED,
AND THAT AS A CIVILIZED SOCIETY,
WE CANNOT TAKE THIS ANYMORE.
DR. SCHNEIDER, DO YOU WANT --
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO CONTINUE
WITH THE NEXT OR WOULD YOU LIKE
TO --
>> I CAN MOVE TO OUR NEXT
SPEAKER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WAS LACHTMAN
TAMIL.
HE HAD COVID WHEN HE WAS
PRESENTING SO HE DID NOT FEEL
WELL DURING HIS SPEECH, BUT HE
IS A TENURED FULL PROFESSOR, I
SHOULD SAY, HE SPOKE ABOUT
BRIDGING THE GAP ADDRESSING
RACIAL BIAS IN ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE
LEARNING FOR AGING POPULATIONS.
HE'S A TENURED FULL PROFESSOR OF
ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER
ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
TEXAS.
HE DIRECTS THE QUALITY OF LIFE
TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY, HAS A
PH.D. IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING,
MS IN MATH, AND HE HAS A
MASTER'S IN TECHNOLOGY IN
MICROWAVE AND OPTICAL
COMMUNICATIONS.
HIS RESEARCH EXPLORES ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE
LEARNING, INCREASINGLY
INFLUENCING HEALTHCARE AND AGING
RESEARCH, AND DISCUSSED HOW IT'S
CRUCIAL TO ADDRESS THE RACIAL
BIASES THAT ARE EMBEDDED WITHIN
THESE TECHNOLOGIES.
HIS TALK REALLY EXPLORED THE
INTERSECTION OF A.I., RACIAL
BIAS, AGING, HIGHLIGHTED THE
PROFOUND IMPACT THESE BIASES CAN
HAVE ON OLDER ADULTS FROM
DIVERSE RACIAL BACKGROUNDS.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DIDN'T GET TO
SEE HIS REAL WORLD EXAMPLES,
WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN LOVELY TO
SEE, IN CASE STUDIES WHERE HE
WAS GOING TO SHOW US BOTH THE
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVES THAT CAN
OCCUR FROM A.I. IN THIS SPACE.
BUT HIS TALK REALLY TAUGHT US
THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSE DATA
REPRESENTATION, ACKNOWLEDGING
THAT OUR CURRENT DATASETS ARE
BIASED.
WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
HE'S DISCUSSED STRATEGIES FOR
ACHIEVING FAIRNESS, THE ROLE OF
POLICY AND REGULATION ON
MITIGATING RACIAL BIAS, AND
EXPLORING INNOVATIVE A.I.
SOLUTIONS, ENCOURAGING
COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS AMONG
TECHNOLOGISTS AND PROFESSIONALS.
HE DISCUSSED A LOT ABOUT A.I.
EVOLUTION AND HOW IT'S AN
EXISTENTIAL THREAT SOCIALLY,
ECONOMICALLY BY JOBS, LOSING
JOBS, GETTING THAT TAKEN AWAY.
AND THEN THE DATA BIAS AGAIN IN
THE SYSTEMS THAT WE ALREADY
HAVE.
HE DISCUSSED A LOT ABOUT MACHINE
LEARNING, MACHINE REASONING,
FAST AND SLOW LEARNING, AND HE
DISCUSSED A PYRAMID OF A.I. ALL
THE WAY FROM NIRO TO GENERAL TO
POSSIBLY MAYBE SENTIENT.
IT WAS A TRULY FASCINATING TALK.
WE DIDN'T GET TO KNOW HOW A.I.
HAS PERPETUATED OR MITIGATED THE
RACIAL DISPARITY IN THE CASE
STUDIES.
I LOOK FORWARD TO READING ABOUT
WHAT SORT OF THINGS HE'S DONE,
BECAUSE IT'S TRULY A FASCINATING
AREA.
THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT PRESENTER WAS
DR. CRYSTAL SOCI.
SHE IS A PROFESSOR AT ARIZONA --
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT ARIZONA
STATE UNIVERSITY.
SHE TALKED TO US ABOUT THE TITLE
OF HER PRESENTATION WAS
INDIGENOUS GENOMIC DATA
SOVEREIGNTY THROUGH TRIBAL DATA
REPOSITORY FOR HEALTH EQUITY.
AND DR. SOCI TALKED ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF AVOIDING
ENGAGEMENT WATCHING, WHICH IS
DEFINED AS WHEN RESEARCHERS
RECOGNIZE THE ETHICAL AND
EPISTEMOLOGICAL IMPERATIVE TO
ENGAGE WITH STA STAKEHOLDERS, BT
PURSUE SUCH ENGAGEMENT ONLY TO
SATISFY REPUTATIONAL AIMS TO
MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO.
DR. SOCI ALSO INDICATED THAT
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CAN BE
CHALLENGING, DUE TO LACK OF
RESEARCHER TRAINING IN
ENGAGEMENT METHODS, AND
QUALITATIVE TRAINING, THAT
THERE'S A LACK OF LOCAL RESEARCH
INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT THERE'S --
IT IS DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY
LOCAL KEY EXPERTS, AND THERE'S
LACK OF CONSENSUS WHEN THERE ARE
MANY COMMUNITIES INVOLVED.
AND THAT THERE'S ALSO
CONFLICTING INSTITUTIONAL VERSUS
COMMUNITY POLICIES.
SHE ALSO INDICATED THAT
SITUATING ENGAGEMENT WITHIN
CURRENT PRACTICES CAN BE
CHALLENGING, BECAUSE GRANT
FUNDING DOESN'T ADEQUATELY FUND
ENGAGEMENT.
AND THAT RESEARCHERS ARE NOT
CROSS-TRAINED IN COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT.
SHE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THAT WE DO
NOT TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE
LIFECYCLE OF THE RESEARCH
PROCESS.
IT IS MUCH EASIER TO DEFAULT TO
MINIMUM STANDARDS THAN ACTUAL
ENGAGEMENT.
BUT IS THIS TRULY ETHICAL, SHE
ASKED?
DR. SOCI ALSO REMINDED US THAT A
KEY ELEMENT IN RESEARCH IS
MAKING SURE THAT OUR CHILDREN'S
CHILDREN WILL BE ABLE TO BENEFIT
FROM THE RESEARCH THAT IS
CONDUCTED.
SHE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE LACK
OF INDIGENOUS ENGAGEMENT IN
GENOMICS.
SHE HIGHLIGHTED THAT RECENT AND
PAST UNETHICAL RESEARCH
INVOLVING DATA COLLECTION FROM
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES HAS
STRAINED TRUST RELATIONS,
RESULTING IN TRIBAL NATION
POLICIES THAT RESTRICT GENOMICS
RESEARCH IN OPEN DATA SHARING.
SHE ALSO TALKED ABOUT
RE-THINKING INFORMED CONSENT
LANGUAGE, INDICATING THAT
ETHICALLY, THE STANDARD FOR
INDIVIDUAL INFORMED CONSENT IS
INADEQUATE FOR INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY FOR
GENOMICS.
DR. SCHNEIDER?
>> THANK YOU.
OKAY, SO OUR LAST SPEAKER, WE
TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE
AND WE ASKED JASON FLATT TO GIVE
A TALK.
HE SPOKES ON METHODS FOR
RECRUITMENT AND ENGAGEMENT OF
SEXUAL AND GENDER MINORITY OLDER
ADULTS IN AGING RESEARCH.
DR. FLATT IS AN ASSOCIATE
PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
NEVADA LAS VEGAS.
HE'S TRAINED IN GERONTOLOGY AND
EPIDEMIOLOGY.
HE BEGAN HIS RESEARCH --
CONDUCTING RESEARCH WITH THE
DIVERSE, SEXUAL AND GENDER
MINORITIES, WHICH I LEARNED IS
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL,
TRANSGENDER, QUEER, INTERSEX,
ASEXUAL AND ANOTHER IDENTITY
PERSONS LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S
DISEASE AND RELATED DEMENTIAS
AND THEIR CAREGIVERS.
JUST AN ASIDE, HE SAID AT THE
VERY BEGINNING THAT THAT'S
NOT -- THAT'S A SCIENTIFIC TERM,
NOT THE TERM THAT THEY USE IN
THE COMMUNITY, AND WE SHOULD
KNOW THE REAL TERMS THAT THEY
USE IN THE COMMUNITY WHEN WE DO
GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
HIS RESEARCH INVOLVES SGM OLDER
ADULTS AND CAREGIVERS TO HELP
UNDERSTAND ADRD RISK AND
DISPARITIES, LONG-TERM CARE AND
RELATED HEALTH NEEDS, WORKFORCE
CHALLENGES AND POTENTIAL
SOLUTIONS.
HE IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON RISE,
WHICH IS RESEARCH INCLUSION
SUPPORT EQUITY REGISTRY.
IT'S THE FIRST REGISTRY TO
RECRUIT, ENGAGE AND RETAIN
SEXUAL GENDER MINORITY OLDER
ADULTS WITH ADRD AND THE
CAREGIVERS OF SEXUAL GENDER
MINORITY ADRD.
SO REALLY IMPORTANT FIRST
ATTEMPT AT GETTING A REGISTRY IN
PLACE TO START HELPING AND
LEARNING ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY.
HE ALSO SPOKE ABOUT RAINBOWS OF
CARE, WHICH IS ANOTHER PROJECT
THAT HE IS INVOLVED WITH, WHICH
MEASURES AND CHARACTERIZES THE
ROLE AND EXPERIENCES OF SEXUAL
GENDER MINORITIES LIVING WITH
ADRD, AND EXTENDS
CONCEPTUALIZATION OF SEXUAL
GENERGENDER MINORITIES IN CAREGG
RELATIONSHIPS AND ROLES.
HE DESCRIBED NEW DATA ON RISK
FACTORS.
HIS MAJOR -- LET'S SEE IF I
WROTE THIS HERE.
HIS MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO
SCIENCE INVOLVES SOCIAL AND
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESEARCH AMONG
SEXUAL GENDER MY IN OT MINORITIN
ADRD, HE'S ALSO INVOLVED IN
CAREGIVING, HE'S ALSO INVOLVED
IN RECRUITMENT AS WELL AS HEALTH
SERVICES.
HE DESCRIBED A LOT OF NEW DATA
OVER ALL THESE DIFFERENT AREAS
ON RISK AND CAREGIVING.
HE SPOKE ABOUT HAVING HIGHER
SUBJECTIVE COGNITIVE COMPLAINTS
IN PEOPLE WITH SGM, AND
DIFFERENCES IN MEN VERSUS WOMEN.
SO HE IS FINDING DIFFERENCES IN
RISK FACTORS.
HE ALSO SPOKE ABOUT CAREGIVING,
WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN
THAT COMMUNITY WHERE THERE MAY
NOT BE KIN AND SPOKE OF THE
GROUPS OF PEOPLE AND FRIENDS
THAT PEOPLE MAY USE WHO HAVE
ADRD IN THAT COMMUNITY TO HAVE
DIFFERENT NEEDS FULFILLED, AND
THAT WE NEED TO START THINKING
ABOUT CAREGIVING IN A DIFFERENT
WAY, PERHAPS, OR AN EXTENDED WAY
WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY.
THERE WAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR
DR. FLATT, AND I THINK WE ALL
LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HOW MUCH
RESEARCH IS NEEDED STILL IN THAT
COMMUNITY.
>> ALL RIGHT, GREAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DRS. CRUZ
AND SCHNEIDER FOR THE SYNOPSIS
OF OUR TASK FORCE.
PATRICIA, ANYTHING MORE TO ADD?
OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY FINAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS
REGARDING THE PRESENTATIONS
DURING THE TASK FORCE?
ALL RIGHT.
THEN WE'LL MOVE ON.
I'LL TURN THIS NOW OVER TO THE
CHAIR OF OUR WORKING GROUP ON
PROGRAM, DR. SUSAN GREENSPAN.
SUSAN.
>> THANK YOU, KEN.
YESTERDAY WE DISCUSSED 21
CONCEPTS.
WE HAD SOME LIVELY AND
INTERESTING DISCUSSION.
AND WE'LL PRESENT THOSE CONCEPTS
NOW.
THE FIRST CONCEPT WILL BE RNA
METABOLISM IN AGING AND AGING
RELATED DISEASES, AND WE WILL
JUST HAVE THE PRIMARY REVIEWER
GIVE A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THE
CONCEPT AND THE DISCUSSION.
THE PRIMARY REVIEWER WAS
DR. HUANG, THE SECOND WAS
DR. BAKER, BUT JUST DR. HUANG,
IF YOU COULD PRESENT YOUR
SUMMARY.
>> YES.
THIS IS A COLLABORATIVE CONCEPT
PROPOSAL OF RNA METABOLISM, THE
CONCEPT FOCUSING ON GENERAL
AGING AND AGING-RELATED DISEASE.
THIS CONCEPT IS ALSO
COMPLEMENTARY AND SYNERGISTIC
WITH THE PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED
TWO RFAs.
IT CLEARLY ADDRESSES THE NIA'S
STRATEGIC GOAL OF IMPROVING OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF HEALTHY AGING
AND DISEASE AND DISABILITY AMONG
OLDER ADULTS.
THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THIS CONCEPT
IS TO SOLICIT STUDIES THAT WOULD
IDENTIFY AND CHARACTERIZE THE
CHANGE OF RNA EDITING,
ALTERNATIVE SPLICING AND RNA
MODIFICATION THAT ARE ASSOCIATED
WITH THE AGING PROCESS AND CAUSE
THE DISEASE, EITHER CELLULARLY
AND MECHANISTICALLY THERE.
ALL THESE THREE RNA-RELATED AREA
HAD TO BE HINDERED BY THE
OBSTACLES ASSOCIATED WITH THE
COSTS AND TECHNOLOGY -- IN THE
PAST LIMITING -- A LOT OF
LIMITING FACTORS THERE.
HOWEVER RECENT TECHNIQUE
DEVELOPMENT HAVE REVOLUTIONIZED
THE FIELD AND PRESENTS A NEW
LANDSCAPE, THUS IT IS THE RIGHT
TIME NOW TO STIMULATE THE STUDY
OF RNA METABOLISM IN THE
UNDERLYING CELLULAR AND TISSUE
FUNCTION CONTRIBUTED TO AGING OR
AGING RELATED DISEASE.
THIS NOF CONCEPT PROPOSAL IS RFA
USING R01 GRANT MECHANISMS, AND
DURING THE DISCUSSION, THE
COUNCIL ALL AGREED THAT THIS IS
A WELL DESIGNED TIMELY AND
IMPORTANT CONCEPT PROPOSAL AND
SUPPORT IT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT CONCEPT, BATS AND
HEALTHY AGING, DR. HUANG WAS THE
PRIMARY REVIEWER, DR. BAKER THE
SECONDARY REVIEWER, AND
DR. HUANG, AGAIN IF YOU CAN
PRESENT THE PROPOSAL AND YOUR
COMMENTS.
>> THIS IS ALSO A COLLABORATION
CONCEPT PROS AL SPONSORED BY ALL
FOUR DIVISIONS AT NIA.
AS YOU ALL KNOW AGING IS A
PRIMARY RISK FACTOR FOR SEVERAL
MAJOR HUMAN DISEASE CONDITIONS.
THE INCREASED AVERAGE LIFESPAN
OVER THE LAST DECADE IS ONE OF
THE MOST REMARKABLE HUMAN
ACCOMPLISHMENT, ALTHOUGH THIS
SUCCESS HAS ALSO LED TO --
NAMELY THE INCREASED NUMBER OF
CHRONICALLY ILL PATIENTS
SUFFERING FROM AGE-RELATED
DISEASE AND THE RESULTING TOLL
ON INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETY.
SO IT TURNS OUT BATS ARE
EMERGING AS AN IMPORTANT ANIMAL
MODEL FOR AGING STUDIES.
IN CONTRAST TO SOME COMMON
LABORATORY ANIMAL MODELS SUCH AS
MICE AND RATS BEST MEET --
CRITERIA FOR AGING STUDIES.
THEY LIVE LONG IN THE WILD AND
ALSO IN CAPTIVITY FOR 20, 30 OR
EVEN MORE THAN 40 YEARS.
ACTUALLY OF THE 19 SPECIES THAT
LIVE LONGER THAN HUMANS, 18 ARE
BATS.
SO WITH ALL THIS CURRENT YEARS
INCREASING SHORTAGE OF AGING
NON-HUMAN PRIMATES WITH
RESEARCH, THERE IS A NEED FOR
OTHER MODELS, IMPORTANTLY,
UNLIKE NON-HUMAN PRIMATES,
MAINTAINING CAPTIVE BAT COLONIES
ARE RELATIVELY EASIER AND MUCH
MORE AFFORDABLE.
SO BASED ON ALL THIS, NIA
ORGANIZED A WORKSHOP EARLIER
THIS YEAR AND BRINGING IN THE
EXPERTISE TO TALK ABOUT THIS AND
THE CONSENSUS WAS THAT WE SHOULD
LEVERAGE ON THIS ADVANTAGE OF
THE BATS RESEARCH OFFER NEW
COMPLEMENTARY SYSTEM FOR AGING
RESEARCH.
THIS NOF ALSO USES RFA AND USING
BIOPHYSIC -- MECHANISM GIVES THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR -- TO START SOME
IDEA AND THEN MORE AHEAD IF IT
WAS SUCCESS TO THE R33 STAGE.
AND DURING THIS DISCUSSION, THE
COUNCIL AGREED THAT THIS IS ALSO
A WELL DESIGNED TIMELY AND
IMPORTANT CONCEPT PROPOSAL.
A VERY NOVEL SYSTEM FOR AGING
RESEARCH AND ALSO
ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTED.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DR. HUANG.
ONCE AGAIN, YOU'RE UP AGAIN.
OUR THIRD CONCEPT, AGING M
MAMMALIAN TISSUES IN VITRO.
DR. HUANG IS THE PRIMARY
REVIEWER, DR. BAKER WAS THE
SECONDARY REVIEWER.
DR. HUANG, PLEASE.
>> THIS IS ANOTHER COLLABORATIVE
CONCEPT PROPOSAL, AGAIN
SPONSORED BY THREE OF THESE FOUR
NIA DIVISIONS.
SO THE INSIGHTS IN RECENT YEARS
FROM ANIMAL RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
THE NEED FOR HUMAN CENTERED
MODELS.
TOWARD THIS DIRECTION, ADVANCES
SINCE IN YEAR 2007, THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SOMATIC
CELERY PROCELL STEM CELL TECHNOE
THE BROAD AVAILABILITY OF THE
COMPLEX DI DIMENSIONAL CULTURE
SYSTEM THAT MORE CLOSELY
RECONSTRUCTS THE -- ORGAN MORE
CLOSE TO HUMAN, AND FURTHERMORE
THE INTERDUS IN THE YEAR 2022 OF
THE U.S. FDA MODERNIZATION ACT
2.0 ALLOWS FOR ALTERNATIVE TO
ANIMAL TESTING FOR PURPOSE OF
DRUG TESTING USE IN THIS KIND OF
SYSTEM.
HOWEVER, THE MAIN CHALLENGE IS
HOW TO FAITHFULLY AND
REPRODUCIBLY ENCAPSULATE THE
AGING PROCESS OR PHENOTYPES IN
BETWEEN -- JUST A FEW MONTHS
AGO, THIS YEAR, A HYBRID
WORKSHOP ON THE 3D IN VITRO
TISSUE SYSTEM FOR RESEARCH ON
AGING BRINGS IN EXPERTISE AND
ALLOWED DISCUSSION, AGAIN, THE
CONSENSUS SHOULD LEVERAGE ON
THIS HUMAN CELL CULTURE SYSTEM,
AND FOR THE SUPPORT THIS AGING
RESEARCH AND ALSO FOR THE FUTURE
DRUG SCREENING OR TASK, THIS
PROPOSED NOF IS ALSO RFA WITH
R21 FUNDING MECHANISM SUPPORTING
EXPLORATORY PROJECTS, AND ALSO
DURING THE DISCUSSION, THE
COUNCIL RECOGNIZED THAT THIS IS
A TIMELY IMPORTANT EXPLORATORY
PROGRAM, AND AL ALSO
ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTED.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT CONCEPT, THE NATIONAL
LONGITUDAL STUDY OF ADOLESCENT
TO ADULT HEALTH, ADD HEALTH,
WAVE VII.
DR. CASE WAS THE PRIMARY
REVIEWER, DR. ASTHANA WAS THE
SECOND REVIEWER AND DR. HUMMER.
>> THERE WAS ENTHUSIASM FOR THIS
RFA NOFO FOR A U01 RENEWAL TO
FUND WAVE VII OF ADD HEALTH.
WHICH WAS THE ONLY NATIONALLY
REP ACCEPTIVE LONGITUDAL STUDY
WITH SOCIAL, MENISCAL AND
PHYSICAL HEALTH RELATED DATA
FROM ADOLESCENTS TO MID LIFE.
AD AND ADRD ARE INCREASINGLY
RECOGNIZED AS UNFOLDING ACROSS
THE LIFECOURSE, BUT MOST STUDIES
BEGIN SEVERAL DECADE INTO LIFE,
WHICH MISSES THE OPPORTUNITY TO
CAPTURE POTENTIALLY MODIFIABLE
SOCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND
BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES.
SO WAVE VII WOULD FUND DATA
COLLECTION, PROCESSING AND
DISSEMINATION.
IT'S A COLLABORATION ACROSS
SEVERAL INSTITUTES AND WOULD
HAVE MID LIFE HEALTH MARKERS AND
OUTCOMES TO THOSE COLLECTED IN
WAVES 1 TO VI AND CONTAINS A
SPECIAL FOCUS ON AD AND ADRD.
THERE WOULD BE DATA COLLECTION
ON PHYSICAL COGNITIVE SENSORY
FUNCTION, AND HOME HEALTH EXAMS
WITH BEING A SPLIT COLLECTION,
ASSAYS OF BLOOD COLLECTED IN
WAVES V, VI AND VII AND UPDATING
ON STUDY MORTALITY AND
DISSEMINATION OF PUBLIC AND
RESTRICTED ACCESS DATA.
THE WORK WAS ALOONED WITH NIA'S
STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS.
AD AND ADRD IMPLEMENTATION
MILESTONES IN THE 2019BSR REVIEW
RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE AGREED THAT A COOPERATIVE U0E
COMPLEXITY OF THE DATA
UNDERTAKEN.
DISCUSSION FOCUSED ON BOTH THE
SUCCESS THAT ADD HEALTH HAS HAD
IN ENGENDERING RESEARCH ON A
MULTITUDE OF IMPORTANT TOPICS,
ANDITY ABIAND ITS ABILITY TO IME
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO I'LL LEAVE IT THERE.
>> THANK YOU, DR. CASE.
THE NEXT CONCEPT, ADVANCE AGING
RESEARCH THROUGH CENTERS FOR
MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES,
CMS, DATA LINKAGE.
DR. CASE WAS AGAIN THE PRIMARY
REVIEWER, DR. KHAN THE SECONDARY
REVIEWER, AND DR. CASE, AGAIN,
IF YOU COULD BRIEFLY PRESENT THE
CONCEPT AND THE DISCUSSION.
>> SURE.
THERE WAS ENTHUSIASM FOR THIS
NOTICE OF SPECIAL INTEREST THAT
WOULD ENCOURAGE THE USE OF
LINKAGE PROGRAM DATA AND
NIA-FUNDED STUDIES.
THE LINKAGE PROGRAM PROVIDES A
LINKAGE SERVICE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE AND THE CLOUD-BASED
PLATFORM FOR NIA-FUNDED
INVESTIGATOR USE.
IT'S ACCESSIBLE REMOTELY AND
MEETS FEDERAL DATA SECURITY
REQUIREMENTS.
LINKAGE PROGRAM USE WOULD BE
SUPPORTED THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPLEMENTS TO LINK NIA-FUNDED
STUDY DATA TO CMS CLAIMS DATA.
THE CONCEPT ANTICIPATES FUNDING
15 NIA-FUNDED RESEARCHERS OVER A
THREE-YEAR PERIOD.
IT KDZ W KDZ W ACCORDS WITH MILN
DATA ACCESSIBILITY AND DATA
SHARING AND REPRODUCIBILITY AND
THE 2019 BSR REVIEW
RECOMMENDATION TO REDUCE
BARRIERS TO ACCESSING DATA FOR
RESEARCH.
SUPPLEMENT AWARDEES WILL BE
REQUIRED TO SHARE THEIR CMS LINK
DATA WITH OTHER RESEARCHERS
THROUGH THE LINKAGE ENCLAVE, AND
IT'S ANTICIPATED THIS WILL
REDUCE ADMINISTRATIVE FINANCIAL
AND IT SECURITY BARRIERS THAT
MAY INHIBIT STUDIES FROM DATA
SHARING AND SPEED RESEARCH
PROGRESS AND ENHANCE THE VALUE
OF NIA-SUPPORTED RESOURCES.
IN ADDITION TO THE ENTHUSIASM
FOR THIS NOSI, IT TRIGGERED
DISCUSSION IN THE COUNCIL
OUTSIDE THE PURVIEW OF THIS NOSI
OF ENCOURAGING NIA TO CONTINUE
TO ENCOURAGE CMS TO RELEASE DATA
FOR RESEARCH IN A MORE TIMELY
FASHION.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
>> THANK YOU, DR. CASE.
THE NEXT CONCEPT IS ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
COLLABORATORY.
NANCY LUNDEBJERG IS THE PRIMARY
REVIEWER, DR. CRUZ THE SECONDARY
REVIEWER, AND NANCY, IF YOU
COULD PRESENT THE CONCEPT AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THERE WAS HIGH ENTHUSIASM FOR
THIS CONCEPT, WHICH IS A RENEWAL
OF AN EXISTING PROGRAM, THE
NIA'S ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY COLLABORATIVE.
THE CONCEPT AND RENEWAL ARE IN
LINE WITH NIA PRIORITIES IN THIS
AREA.
THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF INPUT
SOUGHT ACROSS THE DIVISIONS AND
FROM THE WORKING GROUP ON
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE THAT
WENT INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THIS CONCEPT, INCLUDING EACH OF
THE DIVISIONS IDENTIFYING A
PRIORITY AREA FOR RESEARCH BY
THIS PARTICULAR COLLABORATIVE.
THE PROPOSAL IS STRUCTURED IN
PRETTY MUCH THE SAME WAY AS THE
EXISTING PROGRAM, SO IT'S A P30
COMBINED WITH A U24 COORDINATING
CENTER.
THE PROPOSAL WAS TO INCREASE
POTENTIALLY FUND UP TO FOUR
P30s.
THERE ARE THREE RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S ATTENTION WITHIN THIS
CONCEPT TO PEOPLE LIVING WITH
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND RELATED
DEMENTIAS, AND DISCUSSION ON
COUNCIL WAS ESSENTIALLY THAT WE
SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS
WITH HIGH ENTHUSIASM.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT CONCEPT IS DEMENTIA
CARE AND CAREGIVER SUPPORT,
INTERVENTION RESEARCH STAGE ONE
ONLY.
DR. REUBEN WAS PRIMARY REVIEWER,
DR. INOUYE THE SECONDARY
REVIEWER, AND DR. REUBEN, IF YOU
COULD PRESENT THE CONCEPT AND
THE DISCUSSION.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO GET A SET OF
BOOK ENDS HERE BECAUSE THEY'RE
BOTH RELATED TO THE SAME TOPIC.
ONE IS ON STAGE I, WHICH IS
EARLY RESEARCH IN THE
DISSEMINATION SEQUENCE, AND
STAGE I RESEARCH ENCOMPASSES ALL
ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE
CREATION AND PRELIMINARY TESTING
OF NEW BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS.
A NOFO OF THIS TYPE IS VERY
EXCITING FROM MY PERSPECTIVE,
THERE'S A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM
ABOUT IT, BECAUSE IT STIMULATES
INNOVATION BUT REQUIRES A
CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SPECIFIED
RIGOR.
NOT ALL OF THESE INTERVENTIONS,
FUNDED GRANTS WILL ACTUALLY MAKE
TO LATER STAGES, BUT THIS IS
REALLY THE INCUBATOR FOR
PROMISING INTERVENTIONS THAT
WILL SUBSEQUENTLY GET LARGER AND
MORE DEFINITIVE STUDIES.
SO THERE WAS A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM
FOR THIS.
IT WOULD GO THROUGH AN R34
MECHANISM WHICH IS UP TO
$450,000 OVER THREE YEARS, AND
THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH TO REALLY
GET SOME PRELIMINARY DATA TO
MOVE ON TO MORE ADVANCED TRIALS
AND EFFICACY AND EFFECTIVENESS.
SO THERE WAS A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM
ABOUT THIS.
>> THANK YOU, AND TO CONTINUE
WITH THIS DEMENTIA CARE AND
CAREGIVER SUPPORT INTERVENTION
RESEARCH STAGE II THROUGH V, DR.
>> SO THESE ARE THE SECOND END
OF THE DESK SET.
IT'S ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS AND
EFFICACY OF RESEARCH AND
DISSEMINATION IN STAGES II
THROUGH V, AND CURRENTLY WE HAVE
VERY FEW OF THESE WELL DESIGNED
ADEQUATELY POWERED TRIALS AND
BEHALF YO YORL INTERVENTIONS FOR
DEMENTIA AND CAREGIVER SUPPORT.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A REISSUE OF
THE OLD PAR21307 AND 21308 AND
OFFERS A R61 INVERTING TO
R33 MECHANISM, WHICH
DEMONSTRATES BOTH FEASIBILITY
AND THEN CONDUCTS A CLINICAL
TRIAL.
SO THIS IS A VERY NICE MECHANISM
TO GO FROM THE EARLY STAGES TO
THEN LATER STAGES.
SO THIS WAS ALSO RECEIVED VERY
WELL BY COUNCIL YESTERDAY, AND
WE'D LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT CONCEPT IS SOCIAL,
BEHAVIORAL AND ECONOMIC COVID
COORDINATING CENTER.
DR. REUBEN IS THE PRIMARY
REVIEWER, DR. ASTHANA IS THE
SECONDARY REVIEWER.
>> THIS IS WHAT THEY CALL A HAT
TRICK.
THREE IN A ROW IN HOCKEY.
SO THIS IS SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND
ECONOMIC COVID COORDINATING
CENTER.
ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A RENEWAL OF
A PREVIOUS NOFO.
THE JUSTIFICATION THAT THE STAFF
PROVIDED WAS VERY INTERESTING.
IT CITED THE CONVERGING OF LIFE
EXPECTANCY BETWEEN 2001 AND
2019, WHITE AND BLACK AMERICANS,
BUT DURING COVID, THERE WAS A
REVERSAL OF THIS TREND, WORSENED
LIFE SPEKD SPECT SEE FROM
MINORITY GROUPS FOR THE ONSET OF
COVID.
THIS COORDINATING CENTER HAS
BEEN IN OPERATION WITHIN THREE
YEARS HAS ALREADY CREATED A
COVID MEASURE ARCHIVE.
COMMON ELEMENTS FOR DATA
MITIGATION POLICIES, AWARDED
PILOTS AND DISSEMINATED
FINDINGS.
CONTINUATION OF THE COORDINATING
CENTER WILL FOSTER CONTINUED
COORDINATION ACROSS PROJECTS AND
WILL EXAMINE LONGER TERM ISSUES
OF THE PANDEMIC ASSOCIATED
POLICIES.
LTION PROVIDE AVENUE FOR RAPID
RESPONSE TO URGENT WORKSHOPS,
PILOT RESEARCH AND NIH POLICY
DATA NEEDS.
IT'S WELL-FUNDED BY MULTIPLE
INSTITUTES AND CENTERS SO THE
NI.
A'S CONTRIBUTION WILL BE MODEST.
IT'S A DEAL.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT CONCEPT IS
INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
NETWORK ON HOUSING AND HEALTH.
DR. CRUZ IS PRIMARY REVIEWER, IF
YOU COULD PLEASE PRESENT THE
CONCEPT AND DISCUSSION.
>> SURE, THANK YOU.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONCEPT IS
TO SUPPORT THE INTERDISCIPLINARY
RESEARCH NETWORK ON HOUSING AND
HEALTH.
THE NETWORK MADE UP OF FEDERAL
PARTNERS PLANS TO CONVENE
DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES OF
RESEARCHERS WITH RELEVANT
EXPERTISE THROUGH A SERIES OF
ONGOING MEETINGS AND TRAINING,
ENCOURAGE THEM TO FORM TEAMS AND
FUND INNOVATIVE NULL PILOT
PROJECTS WHICH THROUGH ONGOING
TRAINING, SUPPORT AND NETWORKING
CAN FORM THE BASIS FOR LARGER
FUTURE PROJECTS.
ONE OF THE COCHALLENGES FACING
HOUSING RESEARCHERS PUBLIC
HEALTH RESEARCHERS AND AWING
RESEARCHERS IS THAT OFTEN THEY
DON'T WORK WITH ONE ANOTHER.
THEY DON'T HAVE A COORDINATED
INFRASTRUCTURE DESPITE MULTIPLE
ORGANIZATIONS EXAMINING THE
IMPLICATIONS OF HOUSING.
THE PROPOSE THE NETWORK WOULD
PROVIDE THIS INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING
HAS REQUESTED $100,000 PER YEAR
FOR FIVE YEARS, THE ICO AND
SCIENTIFIC DIRECTION.
>> THANK YOU, DR. CRUZ.
THE NEXT CONCEPT IS
CLINICIAN-SCIENTIST
TRANSDISCIPLINARY AGING RESEARCH
OR CLINSTAR COORDINATING CENTER.
DR. ASTHANA, IF YOU COULD PLEASE
PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU.
THIS CONCEPT RECEIVED
ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT FROM THE
COUNCIL.
THE CONCEPT REQUESTS RENEWAL OF
A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL NIA FUNDED
TRAINING PROGRAM CALLED CLINSTAR
WHICH HAS OVER THE YEARS TRAINED
A NUMBER OF CLINICIANS BECOME
LEADER IN AGING RESEARCH.
IT HAS EXPANDED SIGNIFICANTLY
ACROSS THE COUNTRY INCLUDING AT
INSTITUTIONS THAT MAY NOT BE
WELL RESOURCED IN GERONTOLOGY
RESEARCH.
FURTHERMORE THE FIELD OF AGING
RESEARCH IS REQUIRING
MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH
COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION
AMONG MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES AND
INTEGRATION OF EXPERTISE TO
UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF
AGING ASSOCIATED DISEASES.
SO THE RENEWAL OF THIS PROPOSAL
WILL PROVIDE OUTSTANDING
RESOURCES SO EARLY STAGE
CLINICIANS TO EXPLAIN THE
INTEREST IN AGING RESEARCH.
SO THE CLINSTAR ORIGINALLY WAS
FUNDED IN 2019 THROUGH A U24
MECHANISM AND AT THAT TIME IT
INVOLVED THE AMERICAN FEDERATION
FOR AGING RESEARCH, THE YALE AND
HOPKINS UNIVERSITY AND UCLA.
THE PRESENT APPLICATION ONCE
RENEWED WILL REALLY CONTINUE THE
NIA EFFORTS TO TRAIN THE NEXT
GENERATION OF
CLINICIAN-SCIENTISTS IN AGING
RESEARCH WHICH WE ALL BELIEVE IS
PIVOTAL.
IT WAS APPROVED AND RECEIVED
SIGNIFICANT MAJOR ENTHUSIASM
FROM THE COUNCIL.
>> THANKS, SANJAY.
THE NEXT CONCEPT IS CARING FOR
COMPLEX OLDER ADULTS THROUGH
ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD
DASHBOARD CALLED COATED.
NANCY, IF YOU COULD PLEASE
PRESENT THE CONCEPT AND
DISCUSSION.
>> SURE.
COATED WAS A NEW CONCEPT
PROPOSAL FOR A U24 COOPERATIVE
AGREEMENT THAT WILL SUPPORT
COLLABORATIONS WITH ELECTRONIC
HEALTH RECORD VENDORS VIA U24
MECHANISM.
THE APPROACH WAS -- PARTNERSHIPS
WITH EHR VENDORS AND HEALTHCARE
SYSTEMS TO DEPLOY DATA ANALYTICS
AND DASHBOARDS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY TO IMPROVE OLDER ADULTS
HEALTHCARE.
WOW, THAT'S A MOUTHFUL.
THIS INITIATIVE WOULD ADDRESS
THE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS AT RISK
BY CONDUCTING RESEARCH AND
BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE WITH A
FOCUS ON PRIMARY CARE.
THE CONCEPT ADDRESSES AN
IMPORTANT AREA IN PATIENT CARE
AND PROPOSES TO DO SO IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PRIVATE
SECTOR.
I WOULD SAY THAT COUNCIL
DISCUSSION WAS SPLIT INTO TWO
SORT OF KEY POINTS TO THE
PROGRAM STAFF.
ONE WAS AROUND THE EXPERIENCE --
MAINLY THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF
WORKING WITH EHR VENDORS THAT
MANY OF US HAVE OBSERVED SO THAT
THE CONCEPT -- I THINK FEEDBACK
FROM COUNCIL WAS THAT THE
CONCEPT SHOULD ADDRESS THAT IN
SOME WAY.
AND THEN THE SECOND WAS A POINT
THAT BOTH DR. GREENSPAN AND I
MADE IN OUR COMMENTS, WHICH WAS
THE IMPORTANCE IN ANY EFFORT
LIKE THIS OF INCLUDING PEOPLE
WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE AND THEIR
CAREGIVERS IN STAKEHOLDER
ADVISORY GROUPS AND AS PART OF
DESIGN TEAMS.
>> THANK YOU, NANCY.
THE NEXT CONCEPT IS THE NATIONAL
ALZHEIMER'S COORDINATING CENTER,
NACC.
THE PRIMARY REVIEWER IS
DR. HULING-HUMMEL, AND SECONDARY
REVIEWER IS DR. CILIBERTO.
SO DR. HUM EL, IF YOU COULD
PLEASE PRESENT THE CONCEPT.
>> YES, I WAS ASKED TO BE THE
PRIMARY REVIEWER FOR A NOTICE OF
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR 2024.
THE PROJECT THAT I REVIEWED
REQUESTS A SETASIDE AMOUNT AND
IT'S TITLED THE NATIONAL
ALZHEIMER'S COORDINATING CENTER
OR NACC FOR SHORT.
THE CENTER LOCATED IN SEATTLE,
WASHINGTON WAS ESTABLISHED IN
1999 TO FACILITATE COLLABORATIVE
RESEARCH AND IT'S THE LARGEST
AD/ADRD RESOURCE CENTER OF ITS
KIND IN THE UNITED STATES.
THIS RENEWAL PROJECT FALLS UNDER
THE AUSPICES OF THE DIVISION OF
NEUROSCIENCE.
DR. ELLIOTT IS THE PRIMARY POINT
OF CONTACT.
I CONCUR THAT THE FUNDING OF
THIS PROJECT IS ESSENTIAL IN
ORDER TO UP GREAT THE NACC AND
ITS SATELLITE CENTERS FOR
AD/ADRC RESEARCH.
THE NACC IS ON A MISSION TO
MODERNIZE AND HARMONIZE NOT JUST
THE OVERALL INFRASTRUCTURE BUT
ALSO THE TECHNOLOGY NEEDED IN
ORDER TO PRESERVE THE LONGITUDAL
DATA IN SEATTLE AS WELL AS THE
33 ALZHEIMER'S CENTERS AND FOUR
EXPLORATORY CENTERS ACROSS THE
UNITED STATES.
THE NACC HOUSES DATA COLLECTED
ON OVER 50,000 INDIVIDUALS,
INCLUDING 18,000 ACTIVE
PARTICIPANTS.
ADDITIONALLY 188,000 CLINICAL
ASSESSMENTS, IT HAS DATA ON
7,900 NEUROPATHY EXAMS.
DATA FROM THE NACC HAS BEEN
CITED IN 1,300 PUBLISHED
STUDIES.
I WAS HAPPY TO READ THAT THE
UPGRADE PROMISES TO EXPAND DATA
ON PARTICIPANT DIVERSITY, AND
THIS IS CRITICAL TO OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF AD/ADRC.
INCLUDING EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND
POTENTIAL TREATMENTS.
ANOTHER KEY COMPONENT OF THE
PLANS WILL BE TO UPGRADE
INFORMATICS CAPABILITIES THAT
WILL PROMOTE EFFICIENT SHARING
OF DATA IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAIR
PRINCIPLES.
THIS UPGRADE WILL BENEFIT
RESEARCHERS ALL OVER THE WORLD
BECAUSE NACC DATA IS FREELY
AVAILABLE TO ALL RESEARCHERS,
WHICH IN TURN WILL ACCELERATE
SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES.
THE UPGRADE ALSO AIMS TO
INTEGRATE BOTH EXISTING AND
EMERGING DATA STREAMS.
BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITIES AND
UPGRADES TO INFRASTRUCTURES,
DATA COLLECTION AND SHARING, AND
MAKING ALL ADRC CENTERS
SEARCHABLE, THE PROJECT PLANS TO
NOT JUST MAINTAIN BUT TO EXPAND
PEER REVIEWER INVESTIGATOR
AWARDS.
THIS EXCITING PROJECT WILL
REQUIRE EXTRA SUPPORT AND
INVOLVEMENT FROM NIH STAFF, AND
THE RESULT WILL FURTHER ADVANCE
OUR STUDY, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF
AD/ADRC, WHICH IN TURN SUPPORTS
RESEARCH THAT LEADS TO NEW
INTERVENTIONS AND TREATMENTS.
THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF
ENTHUSIASM FOR THIS PROJECT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CYNTHIA.
OUR NEXT PROPOSAL, THE NATIONAL
CENTRALIZED REPOSITORY FOR
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND RELATED
DEMENTIAS, NCRAD.
DR. HUANG IS THE PRIMARY
REVIEWER, DR. BAKER THE
SECONDARY REVIEWER.
SO YADONG, IF YOU COULD PLEASE
PRESENT YOUR COMMENTS AND THE
DISCUSSION.
>> THIS CONCEPT PROPOSAL IS
SPONSORED BY DIVISION OF
NEUROSCIENCE, AIMING TO SUPPORT
THE RENEWAL OF THIS NCRAT AD WHH
STANDS FOR THE NATIONAL
CENTRALIZED REPOSITORY FOR
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND RELATED
DEMENTIA.
THIS NCRAD IS A CENTRALIZED
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR NIA FUNDED AD
AND ADRD RESEARCH BY PROVIDING A
REPOSITORY THAT CURRENTLY
SUPPORTS 74 STUDIES INCLUDING
THESE ADRDs WITH 2 MILLION --
ABOUT 126,000 INDIVIDUALS
INCLUDING 15 DIFFERENT TYPE OF
SAMPLES.
THE RENEWAL WILL SUPPORT THE
CONTINUATION OF THIS CENTRAL
BIOSPECIMEN REFOS TRI FOR NIH RA
FUNDED DEMENTIA STUDIES AND IT
WILL FACILITATE THE SAMPLE
SHARING TO ALL QUALIFIED
INVESTIGATORS AS WELL AS A
BIOMARKER ASSESSMENT LABORATORY
WHICH AT THE MOMENT IS A
BIOMARKER RESEARCH WITH HIGH
QUALITY CONTROL AND
HARMONIZATION WITH OTHER
LABORATORIES.
THE CONCEPT ALSO PROPOSED THIS
NCRAD AS A BRIDGE LINKING CLINIC
STUDIES AND BASIC SCIENTIST TO
ADVANCE THIS AD AND ADRC
RESEARCH, AND USE AN RFA WITH A
U24 FUNDING MECHANISM SUPPORTING
HIGH PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS.
DURING THE DISCUSSION, THE
COUNCIL RECOGNIZED THAT THIS
NCRAD IS NECESSARY TO THE
CONTINUED SUPPORT OF MULTIPLE
LARGE NIA INFRASTRUCTURE
PROJECTS, INCLUDING THIS
NATIONAL ALZHEIMER'S
COORDINATING CENTER, ADSP AND
CENTER FOR ALZHEIMER'S AND
RELATED DEMENTIAS, THEREFORE IT
WAS ENTHUSIASTICALLY YOU
SUPPORTED.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT CONCEPT,
INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH TO
UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEX BIOLOGY
OF RESILIENCE TO ALZHEIMER'S AND
RELATED DEMENTIA DISEASE RISK.
THE PRIMARY REVIEWER IS
DR. INOUYE.
THE SECONDARY REVIEWER IS
DR. HUANG.
AND DR. INEYE, IF INEYE, IF IND
PLEASE PRESENT THE CONCEPT AND
DISCUSSION.
>> SURE.
SO THIS IS A RENEWAL PROPOSAL
FOR RENEWING TWO PRIOR RFAs
WHICH HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL
IIN ADVANCING UNDERSTANDING OF
MOLECULAR DETERMINANTS OF
RESILIENCE IN AD, AND THEY HAVE
ALREADY LED TO THE EXCITING
DISCOVERY OF NOVEL CANDIDATE
TARGETS.
AND THE PROPOSED RENEWAL CONCEPT
IS GOING TO BUILD ON THIS PRIOR
WORK AND HOPES TO ADVANCE THE
DEVELOPMENT OF FURTHER
RESILIENCE BASED PRECISION PAIR
THANK YOU TICSTHERAPEUTICS, AGAS
ON GENOMIC MECHANISTIC METHODS,
AND I THINK SOME OF THE
EXCITEMENT AND EXPANSION OF THIS
RFA ARE TO INTEGRATE
EPIDEMIOLOGIC GENOMIC AND
MECHANISTIC RESEARCH WITH NOVEL
DATA-DRIVEN APPROACHES
INCORPORATING AI, MACHINE
LEARNING MECHANISMS.
SO WE ALL FELT THAT THIS WAS
VERY EXCITING AND RELEVANT TO
LOOK AT DETERMINANTS OF
RESILIENCE, WHICH IS AN
IMPORTANT AREA TO ADVANCE OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF AD/ADRC RISK
ACROSS DIVERSE POPULATIONS.
IT IS GOING TO BE USING VERY
ADVANCED METHODOLOGIES, AND ALSO
SOME CROSS SPECIES WORK AS WELL,
WHICH WE WERE EXCITED ABOUT.
THE REVIEWERS AND COUNCILS,
COUNCILMEMBERS HAD SOME COMMENTS
THAT WERE MADE AND PROGRAM HAS
ALREADY RESPONDED THAT THEY'RE
GOING TO INCORPORATE THOSE
CHANGES INCLUDING A SPECIFIC
FOCUS TO INCORPORATE SDOH TO
MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE CLINICAL
GERONTOLOGY, EXPERTISE AND ALSO
KIND OF EXPANDING THE MEDICAL
POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO
RESILIENCE SUCH AS DELIRIUM.
SO WE WERE GENERALLY VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PROPOSAL AND
VOTED THAT IT SHOULD MOVE
FORWARD.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SHARON.
THE NEXT CONCEPT IS
INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH TRAINING
AWARD FOR AD/ADRC AND AGING
RESEARCH IN LOW AND MIDDLE
INCOME COUNTRIES.
LMICS.
THE PRIMARY REVIEWER WAS
DR. SCHNEIDER AND THE SECONDARY
REVIEWER, DR. ASTHANA.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE PRESENT THE
PROPOSAL AND YOUR DISCUSSION.
>> SO THIS IS A NOFO, NOTICE OF
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR A D43,
WHICH IS AN INTERNATIONAL
TRAINING GRANT THAT'S TRANS NIA
AGING AND IT'S A PRIORITY
BECAUSE OF THE AGING POPULATION
AND LOW MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES
AND THE NEED FOR RESEARCH.
IT WAS KEY RECOMMENDATION AND
HAS ALREADY BEEN INITIATING
EFFORTS IN THIS REGARD BUT
THERE'S STILL A NEED FOR MORE
TRAINING OF WORK STAFF WITHIN
THESE LOW MIDDLE INCOME
COUNTRIES, AND THERE'S BEEN A
LOT OF -- THERE'S BEEN A HIGH
INTEREST IN THE LOW AND MIDDLE
INCOME COUNTRIES.
NIH HAS BEEN RECEIVING A LOT OF
INCREASED INQUIRIES REGARDING
BUILDING THIS INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO THIS LEVERAGES CURRENT NIA
INVESTMENT IN LOW AND MIDDLE
INCOME COUNTRIES RESEARCH
TRAINING PROGRAMS IN THE
OVERARCHING GOALS TO BUILD
CAPACITY BUT WILL ALSO SUPPORT
COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN U.S. AND
THESE OTHER COUNTRIES FOR
SUSTAINABLE RESEARCH.
IT WILL STRENGTHEN THE ABILITY
OF THE LOW MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRY
INSTITUTIONS TO STRENGTHEN
CONTRIBUTIONS AND ESTABLISH
INTERNATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS.
THE EXPECTATIONS TO BUILD
TRAINING PROGRAMS TO INCREASE
TRAINING IN AGING
COLLABORATIONS, TRAINING
EXCHANGES, JOINT RESEARCH
PROJECTS AND NETWORKS, AND
REALLY JUST INCREASED RESEARCH
ON AGING IN LOW AND MIDDLE
INCOME COUNTRIES.
TYPES OF TRAINING ARE WIDE --
SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, MEDIUM.
THEY PROPOSE PGH >> TRUSTEE
CROSBIE: YOU'LL INVESTIGATOR
MEETING TO BE HOSTED BY THE NIA
AND TO PRESENT THE TRAINEE
RESEARCH.
THEY'RE PLANNING EIGHT AWARDS,
FIVE WHICH WOULD BE IN THE
AD/ADRC SPACE AND THREE GENERAL.
THERE WILL BE SETASIDE FUNDS,
SPECIAL REVIEW AND A
PREAPPLICATION WEBINAR.
THERE WAS HIGH ENTHUSIASM ABOUT
THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY.
SO IT WILL MOVE FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU, JULIE.
THE NEXT CONCEPT IS THE DATA
COORDINATING CENTER FOR THE
AGING AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
MOUSE BRAIN ATLAS KNOWN AS
ADMBA.
DR. HUANG IS THE PRIMARY
REVIEWER, DR. BAKER THE
SECONDARY REVIEWER.
DR. HUANG, IF YOU COULD PLEASE
PRESENT THE CONCEPT AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THIS CONCEPT PROPOSAL IS
SPONSORED BY DIVISION OF
NEUROSCIENCE, AND THE FOUNDATION
FOR THIS PROPOSAL IS THE
PROGRESSION OF ALZHEIMER'S
DISEASE OFTEN FOLLOWS A
PREDICTABLE TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL
PATTERN, WHERE SPECIFIC BRAIN
REGIONS ARE AFFECTED AT
DIFFERENT STAGE OF THE DISEASE.
HOWEVER, -- WHY THE DISEASE
AFFECT CERTAIN REGIONS OF THE
BRAIN OR WHY SPECIFIC CELL
SUBPOPULATION WITHIN THESE BRAIN
REGIONS ARE SELECTIVELY
VULNERABLE.
TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE
MECHANISM AND IMPACT OF
SELECTIVE VULNERABILITY BETWEEN
REGIONS OR CELL TYPES DISPLAY
THIS, RECENT YEARS MULTIPLE
PROJECTS GENERATED A
COMPREHENSIVE MULTIMODAL --
BRAIN CELL TYPES SPECIFICALLY ON
MULTI-OMICS AND ALSO THE BRAIN
CIRCUITS ACTIVITY CHANGE
ESPECIALLY ON THIS CONNECTOMICS
THAT ARE ALTERED DURING AGING
AND USING MOUSE MODELS THIS HAS
GENERATED MANY DATA ACROSS
DIFFERENT LABORATORY, HOWEVER,
THERE IS NO DEDICATED FUNDING TO
SUPPORT CENTRALIZED DATA SHARING
INFRASTRUCTURE AND DATA FROM
THIS LARGE PROJECT REMAINS
SOMEWHAT SILOED NOW.
SO TO ADDRESS THIS, THIS CONCEPT
PROPOSED TO CREATE A SYNERGISTIC
PLATFORM THAT BRINGS TOGETHER
MULTI-OMICS AND ALSO COULD NECKC
MOUSE DATA FOR A FIRST OF ITS
KIND RESOURCE FOR THE ASIAN AD
RESEARCH COMMUNITY.
THE PROPOSAL USING AN RFA
FUNDING VEHICLE U24 FUNDING
MAGNETS TARGETING THE RESEARCH
AREA.
AND DURING THE DISCUSSION THE
COUNCIL RECOGNIZED THIS IS A
CRITICAL NEED PLATFORM FOR THE
DATA COLLECTING AND
COORDINATING.
THEREFORE, WE'RE VERY -- IN
SUPPORTING IT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DR. HUANG.
THE NEXT CONCEPT IS
TRANSLATIONAL CENTER FOR
ACCELERATING THE USE OF DIGITAL
TECHNOLOGIES IN AD/ADRC
RESEARCH.
DR. LONGO IS THE PRIMARY
REVIEWER, DR. ASTHANA IS THE
SECONDARY REVIEWER, AND
DR. LONGO, IF YOU COULD PLEASE
PRESENT THE CONCEPT.
>> SURE.
THANK YOU.
SO AS WAS MENTIONED --
>> WANT TO TURN ON YOUR
MICROPHONE?
>> THANK YOU.
AS WAS MENTIONED THIS PROPOSAL
IS FOR THE ACCELERATING THE USE
OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN AD
AND ADRD RESEARCH IN A U54
MECHANISM.
SO THE IDEA HERE IS THAT RECENT
ADVANCES IN HEALTH TECHNOLOGY
INCLUDING WEARABLE MONITORING OR
ENVIRONMENT MONITORING HAVE
PROGRESSED TO THE POINT WHERE
THEY COULD HELP WITH EARLY RISK
ASSESSMENT, EARLY DETECTION AND
MONITORING OF FUNCTION IN
AD/ADRC RESEARCH.
SO THE TIMING, IT WAS FELT THAT
THE TIMING IS RIGHT FOR THIS.
THERE ARE OTHER CENTRALIZED DATA
CENTERS IN THE FIELD THAT HAVE
BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO THE FIELD,
INCLUDING IMAGING AND OTHER
BIOMARKER CENTERS, SO GIVEN THE
MATURATION OF DIGITAL
BIOMARKERS, THE TIME HAS ARRIVED
TO CREATE A CENTER FOR THIS KIND
OF DATA THAT WOULD ALLOW THE
SAFE STORAGE, DISTRIBUTION AND
SHARING AND HARMONIZATION OF
THIS KIND OF DATA.
THIS EFFORT WILL ALSO PROMOTE
PROGRESS IN ALZHEIMER'S
POPULATION SUBTYPING AND STAGING
AND ABILITY TO ASSESS
THERAPEUTIC RESPONSE.
DURING THE DISCUSSION, SOME OF
THE KEY POINTS THAT WERE MADE IS
THAT A VERY POTENTIAL MAJOR
VALUE OF THIS IS THAT REMOTE
COLLECTION OF THIS DATA MAY
ALLOWED FOR IMPROVED RECRUITMENT
OF DIVERSE PARTICIPANTS AND
REDUCE PARTICIPANT BURDEN IN
TRIALS, AND ALSO THAT THE CENTER
MAY MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO
INTEGRATE THIS DIGITAL TYPE OF
DATA WITH OTHER DATA BIOMARKER
AND IMAGING DATA FROM THE FIELD.
SO THIS PROPOSAL RECEIVED
SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT CONCEPT IS ADVANCING
DIVERSITY IN AGING RESEARCH
THROUGH UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
PROGRAMS COORDINATING CENTER.
DR. VAN ELDIK IS THE PRIMARY
REVIEWER, DR. CRUZ IS THE SECOND
DI REVIEWER, AND DR. VAN ELDIK,
IF YOU COULD PLEASE PRESENT THE
CONCEPT AND DISCUSSION.
>> YES, THANK YOU.
SO THIS CONCEPT PROPOSES A
COORDINATING CENTER FOR AN
EXISTING AD.
AR R25 PROGRAM.
THE R25 PROGRAM HAS BEEN VERY
SUCCESSFUL AT PROVIDING
INTENSIVE RESEARCH EXPERIENCES
FOR UNDERGRADUATES FROM DIVERSE
BACKGROUNDS WITH A GOAL OF THEM
TRANSITIONING INTOED A
VANED DEGREE PROGRAMS OR
RESEARCH CAREERS IN
AGING-RELATED DISCIPLINES.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY 31 ADAR R25
PROGRAMS AND FIVE NEW ONES IN
FISCAL YEAR 24.
AND I REALLY LIKED THE METRICS
THAT WERE PRESENTED IN THIS
CONCEPT.
THAT DOCUMENTED THE HIGH SUCCESS
OF THE R25 PROGRAM.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE R25 PROGRAMS
HAVE SERVED ALMOST 700
UNDERGRADUATES, 71% FROM
UNDERREPRESENTED RACIAL AND
ETHNIC GROUPS, 50% WOMEN, 33%
FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS
AND 6% INDIVIDUALS WITH
DISABILITIES.
OF THE GRADUATES OF ALMOST 400,
54% WERE ACCEPTED TO GRADUATE
SCHOOL AND 83% OF THOSE WERE IN
AGING-RELATED GRADUATE PROGRAMS.
SO THE R25 EFFORT HAS BEEN VERY
SUCCESSFUL, BUT BECAUSE IT'S
BEEN EXPANDING AND THERE ARE
SOME CHALLENGES THAT REMAIN WITH
THE PROGRAM THAT HAVE TO BE
ADDRESSED, AND THAT'S WHAT THE
COORDINATING CENTER WOULD DO.
SO THE COORDINATING CENTER IS
ENVISIONED TO PROVIDE
COORDINATION COMMUNICATION AMONG
ALL THE R25 ADAR SITES.
THERE'S A NEED FOR SUPPORT FOR
SOME OF THE SITES TO DEVELOP NEW
PARTNERSHIPS AND BECOME
SUSTAINABLE.
A NEED FOR COMMON METRICS,
UNIFORM EVALUATION STRATEGIES
AND HARMONIZED REPORTING.
FOR
BETTER TRACKING OF THE
PARTICIPANTS AND OUTCOMES.
AND SO THIS IS ENVISIONED TO BE
A COMPANION TO A CONCURRENTLY
REISSUED ADAR R258 NOFO WHICH
WOULD REQUIRE AND INTERSENT
ADVISE THE R25 PROGRAMS TO WORK
WITH THE COORDINATING CENTER.
THE COORDINATING CENTER WOULD BE
A U24 AND THERE WOULD BE A
SINGLE DUE DATE IN 2025 FOR BOTH
THE ADAR R25 APPLICATIONS AND
THE COORDINATING CENTER.
THIS CONCEPT WAS JUDGED TO BE
VERY IMPORTANT AND WOULD ALLOW
FURTHER STRENGTHENING OF AN
ALREADY VERY SUCCESSFUL R25
RESEARCH EDUCATION PROGRAM, AND
TO EXPAND AND DIVERSIFY, IT'S
THE SKILLED AGING RESEARCH
WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE, IT WAS
DISCUSSED THAT IT'S CRITICAL TO
REACH INDIVIDUALS EARLY IN THEIR
CAREERS AS THIS R25 PROGRAM DOED
SHOW THESE STUDENTS HOW ECK
SITING AND HOW FEASIBLE A FUTURE
CAREER IN AGING-RELATED RESEARCH
CAN BE.
SO THE U24 COORDINATING CENTER
WOULD ENABLE THIS GOAL BEYOND
EACH INDIVIDUAL R25 SITE, AND
THE COMMITTEE WAS VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF THE CONCEPT.
>> YO THANK YOU, LINDA.
THE NEXT CONCEPT IS TRANSITION
TO AGING RESEARCH FOR
PREDOCTORAL FELLOWS.
DR. ASTHANA IS THE PRIMARY
REVIEWER, AND DR. LONGO WAS THE
SECONDARY REVIEWER.
AND SANJAY, IF YOU COULD PLEASE
PRESENT THE CONCEPT.
>> THANK YOU.
SO THIS CONCEPT RECEIVED
ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT FROM THE
COUNCIL, REQUESTS NEW SUPPORT
FOR AN F99/K00 AWARD THAT
STARTED AS A PA PILOT PROGRAM IN
2020 TO SUPPORT GRADUATE
STUDENTS DURING THEIR DOCTORAL
STUDIES, AND THEN WHEN THEY
BECOME POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS, TO
PURSUE THEIR TRAINING IN AGING
RESEARCH.
THE PILOT PROGRAM HAS BEEN
EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL WITH
INCREASING NUMBER OF
APPLICATIONS OVER THE YEARS.
FOR EXAMPLE, BETWEEN FISCAL 2020
AND 2023, NIA HAS RECEIVED 126
APPLICATIONS, OF WHICH 37 WERE
FUNDED, AND AMONG THESE
AWARDEES, 26 HAVE ALREADY
COMPLETED THEIR DOCTORAL
TRAINING AND ALL -- SORRY --
PREDOCTORAL TRAINING AND ALL BUT
THREE HAVE BECOME POSTDOCS IN
AGING RESEARCH.
AND THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THESE
AWARDEES HAS BEEN IMPRESSIVE.
ON AVERAGE THEY'VE PUB LIRKED PD
ABOUT THREE PAPERS IN
GERONTOLOGY FIELD.
SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS WITH THE
PRESENT AWARD THAT MAY
SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE
INTEREST RELATE TO VERY LOW
STIPENDS FOR PREDOCTORAL FELLOW,
THE POSTDOCS AND ALSO A SINGLE
RECEIPT DATE FOR THE APPLICATION
EACH YEAR THAT PREVENTS
APPLICANTS FROM SUBMITTING A
RESUBMISSION BECAUSE THERE'S
ONLY ONE RECEIPT DATE EACH YEAR.
FURTHERMORE, THE SETASIDE FUNDS
CAN ONLY SUPPORT LIMITED
MERITORIOUS APPLICATIONS AND
THAT IS A MAJOR LIMITATION.
SO THE RENEWAL REQUESTS SPECIFIC
INCREASES IN THE STIPENDS FOR
PRE-DOCS, FOR POSTDOCS, ALSO
INCREASING SUPPORT FOR CAREER
DEVELOPMENT FOR THE TRAINEE TO
INCREASE THE RECEIPT DATES EACH
YEAR FROM ONE TO TWO, AND ALSO
TO HAVE LARGER SETASIDES SO THEY
CAN FUND SEVEN GENERAL AND SEVEN
AD/ADRC APPLICATIONS.
SO THIS CONCEPT WAS THOUGHT TO
BE ESSENTIAL TO CONTINUE
TRAINING OF PRE-DOCS AND
POSTDOCS IN AGING RESEARCH, AND
THE COUNCIL PROVIDED VERY STRONG
SUPPORT.
>> THANK YOU, SANJAY.
AND THE LAST CONCEPT, NEW
GENERAL AGING T32 PROGRAM.
I WAS THE PRIMARY REVIEWER, AND
DR. VAN ELDIK WAS THE SECONDARY
REVIEWER.
SO NIA'S T32 PROGRAM IS A
CORNERSTONE OF THE INSTITUTE'S
TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMMING.
IT PROVIDES SUPPORT TO
INSTITUTIONS TO SELECT
PREDOCTORAL AND/OR POSTDOCTORAL
SCHOLARS AND DEVELOP A PROGRAM
OF COURSE WORK, MENTORED
RESEARCH, EXPERIENCES, AND
TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT RELEVANT TO
AGING RESEARCH.
HOWEVER, THE NEW APPLICATIONS
APPEAR TO DO WORSE WITH A MEDIAN
SCORE OF ABOUT 34 THAN RENEWAL
APPLICATIONS WITH A MEDIAN SCORE
OF ABOUT 19.
RENEWAL APPLICATIONS ALSO
REQUEST MORE TRAINING SLOTS,
LEADING TO HIGHER COSTS FOR THE
OVERALL GRANT.
THIS RESULTS IN THE RENEWAL
APPLICATIONS CROWDING OUT THE
NEW APPLICATIONS IN COST.
THIS IS ALSO SHOWN BY THE
SUCCESS RATE FOR RENEWAL
APPLICATIONS OF 62% SUCCESS RATE
COMPARED TO 13% SUCCESS RATE FOR
NEW APPLICATIONS.
IN FACT, THERE WAS ONLY ONE NEW
T32 APPLICATION FUNDED OVER THE
LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
SO THIS CONCEPT WOULD PROVIDE
SETASIDE FUNDS SPECIFICALLY TO
SUPPORT THREE GENERAL AGING
T32 APPLICATIONS PER YEAR, AND
THEY WOULD NOT BE COMPETING
AGAINST THE PREVIOUS OLD
T32 APPLICATIONS.
THIS WOULD BE ACTIVE FOR THREE
YEARS WITH ONE RECEIPT DATE PER
YEAR.
IT WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE
INSTITUTIONS THAT HAVE NOT
PREVIOUSLY HELD AN NIA-FUNDED
T32 TO APPLY, AND THIS WOULD
HELP DIVERSITY OF THE NIA
T32 PROGRAM.
THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT ENTHUSIASM
FOR THE CONCEPT, AND ENTHUSIASM
TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
SO AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO
ASK FOR AN EN BLOC APPROVAL VOTE
FOR THE CONCEPTS, FOR ALL THE
CONCEPTS THAT WE DISCUSSED.
SO ALL THOSE THAT APPROVE THE
CONCEPTS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND
OR SAY YES.
ANY OPPOSED TO APPROVING THE
CONCEPTS?
SO ALL THE CONCEPTS HAVE
ENTHUSIASTICALLY BEEN APPROVED
TO MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU.
AND NOW I'M GOING TO TURN IT
BACK TO KEN.
>> PERFECT.
THANK YOU, SUSAN.
I THINK AT THIS POINT NOW, NEXT
UP WE DO HAVE TWO SPEAKERS BUT
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BREAK
FIRST.
SO IT IS NOW 11:25.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE AT LEAST A
20-MINUTE BREAK, SO WE WILL BE
ABLE TO COME BACK HERE ABOUT --
LET'S JUST SAY ABOUT 10 OF
12:00.
WE HAVE, AGAIN, TWO SPEAKERS,
OUR NIH SPEAKER, DR. JANINE
CLAYTON FROM THE OFFICE OF
WOMEN'S HEALTH, AND THEN OUR
SCIENTIFIC SPEAKER, DR. HOLLY
INGRAHAM, UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA.
-SAN FRANCISCO.
SO WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING
THOSE SPEAKERS, BUT WE'LL TAKE A
BREAK NOW.
WELL, AS I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO
SEE, WE HAVE A WONDERFULLY
ORCHESTRATED PAIR OF SPEAKERS
AHEAD OF US.
IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE
THE FIRST OF THOSE, DR. JANINE
CLAYTON, WHO IS THE ASSOCIATE
DIRECTOR AT NIH FOR RESEARCH ON
WOMEN'S HEALTH AND THE DIRECTOR
OF THE OFFICE.
SHE WAS TRAINED IN MEDICINE AND
OPT MOL GEE, SPENT HER PREVIOUS
POSITION AT NEI AS THE DEPUTY
CLINICAL DIRECTOR, THEN SINCE
2012, SO ABOUT 12 YEARS NOW, HAS
BEEN IN THE CURRENT POSITION.
NIA OVER ALL THOSE 12 YEARS HAS
HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK VERY
CLOSELY ON AREAS OF SEX AS A
BIOLOGICAL VARIABLE AND ALL THE
WAYS IN WHICH SEX GENDER OVER
THE LIFE TERM HAS BEEN A PRIMARY
FOCUS FOR ALL OF US.
SO IT'S A GREAT PLEASURE TO HAVE
HER HERE TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT
HER WORK AND OUR WORK TOGETHER.
JANINE, WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU, RICHARD.
EXCITING TO BE HERE.
I SEE SOME FRIENDS IN THE
AUDIENCE AND I'M THRILLED TO
TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT
WE'RE DOING AT THE OFFICE OF
RESEARCH ON WOMEN'S HEALTH,
ORWH.
WE'RE REALLY GOING TO FOCUS ON
OUR EFFORTS INTERSECTING WITH
YOUR EFFORTS AND NIH-WIDE
ADDRESSING THE FACT THAT WE MUST
CONSIDER WOMEN'S HEALTH ASTRA
ASTRAJECTORIES ACROSS THE LIFE
FORCE AND PAY ATTENTION TO
SPECIFIC INFLECTION POINTS.
I OFTEN BEGIN WITH THIS THAT
INCLUSION IS IN OUR DNA BECAUSE
ORWH UNLIKE NIA IS MUCH YOUNGER.
WE WERE FOUNDED IN 2090
BASICALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT
WOMEN WERE INCLUDED IN NIH
SUPPORTED CLINICAL TRIALS.
SO TH THE NIH93 REVITALIZATION T
IS THE LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE IN
THE UNITED STATES THAT REQUIRES
WOMEN BE INCLUDED IN NIH
SUPPORTED STUDIES AND AGAIN SO
THAT THE FINDINGS FROM THOSE
STUDIES MIGHT BE MORE RIGOROUS
AND CERTAINLY GENERALIZABLE TO
THE POPULATIONS AFFECTED BY THE
DISEASES AND WITH THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE ON AGING IT WAS OUR
PLEASURE TO COLLABORATE IN
EXPANDING THE NIH INCLUSION
POLICY SEVERAL YEARS AGO
CONSISTENT WITH THE 21ST CENTURY
CURES ACT TO INCLUDE THAT TO
INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES.
SO NOW WE ALSO HA AM CAL PHASE
3 CLINICAL TRIALS NEEDING TO
REPORT THEIR RESULTS,
DISAGGREGATED BY SEX OR GENDER,
RACE AND ETHNICITY INTO CLINICAL
TRIALS.
SO THEY'RE NOW REQUIRED IN
CT.GOV.
OF COURSE NIH HAS SUPPORTED
RESEARCH RELEVANT TO THE HEALTH
OF WOMEN SINCE ITS OUTSET, AND
FROM THE WHI, THE WOMEN'S HEALTH
INITIATIVE, THEN INITIATED BY
THE FIRST WOMAN DIRECTOR OF NIH,
NOW WE HAVE A SECOND WOMAN
DIRECTOR, DR. MONICA
BERTAGNOLLI, THE WHI WAS A
LANDMARK INITIATIVE.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, SWAN,
STUDY OF WOMEN'S HEALTH ACROSS
THE NAUSEOUS, NATION, BEGINNING,
SO IT'S THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF
SWAN.
BASIC SCIENCE WENT TOWARD
DEVELOPING THE HPV VACCINE,
BASIC SCIENCE EFFORTS IDENTIFIED
JAK AS A POTENTIAL TARGET AND
LED TO JAK INHIBITORS, AGAIN
STATE OF THE ART TREATMENT FOR
AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES TODAY THAT
AFFECT MORE WOMEN THAN MEN, GTEX
AND OTHERS.
IT BEEN A ROBUST INVESTMENT FOR
MANY YEARS ACROSS THE ENTIRE
RESEARCH CONTINUUM FROM THE MOST
BASIC THROUGH TRANSLATION IN
CLINICAL AND APPLIED.
THE STUDY OF WOMEN'S HEALTH
ACROSS THE NATION IS AN
INCREDIBLE RESOURCE, AND I THINK
A GIFT TO THE WOMEN'S HEALTH
COMMUNITY.
STARTED IN 1994 AS I MENTIONED,
HIGHLY DIVERSE BY DESIGN FROM
THE OUTSET, LOOKING AT WOMEN
BEFORE THEY'RE GOING THROUGH
MENOPAUSE, SO YOU COULD CAPTURE
THAT FULL MENOPAUSE TRANSITION,
AND I DON'T KNOW IF DR. DOVE IS
HERE OR ONLINE BUT SHE'S BEEN
GREAT TO WORK ON THIS AND OTHER
EFFORTS.
YOU ALL PROBABLY KNOW THIS STUDY
VERY, VERY WELL.
IT INCLUDES LOOKING AT THE
MENOPAUSAL TRANSITION AND
OUTCOMES, AND INCLUDES THE
POSSIBILITY AND HAS NOW LED TO
THE EV EVENT E EVENTUALITY OF IG
DIFFERENCES ACROSS DIFFERENT
RACES AND ETHNICITIES.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING
WITH EVERY SINGLE INSTITUTE AND
CENTER HERE AT NIH AND EACH OF
THEM HAS A ROBUST WOMEN'S HEALTH
RESEARCH PORTFOLIO, OUR MISSIONS
TO EXPAND THAT MAKE SURE WOMEN
ARE INCLUDED I AND SUPPORT WOMEN
AND STEM CAREERS AS WELL.
WE HAVE LED THE DEVELOPMENT WITH
MUCH INPUT FROM KEY INTERESTED
PERSONS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF
NIH IN THE NEW NIH STRATEGIC
PLAN FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH
RESEARCH.
WE HAVE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
THERE THAT WE ARE COLLECTIVELY
WORKING TOGETHER AS AN AGENCY TO
MEET PRIORITY SETTING BY
DEVELOPING FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES.
WE HIGHLIGHT THIS
MULTIDIMENSIONAL FRAMEWORK AS
FRONT AND CENTER, THE WAY WE
THINK ABOUT THE HEALTH OF WOMEN
BEING CRITICAL TO CONSIDER A
LIFECOURSE PERSPECTIVE,
RECOGNIZING THAT EVERYTHING THAT
CAME BEFORE CAN AFFECT THE
WOMAN'S HEALTH TODAY, AND
CONSIDERING THE FULL
CONSTELLATION OF FACTORS, BOTH
INTERNAL SUCH AS BIOLOGICAL
FACTORS, EXTERNAL, WHETHER
THAT'S A TOXICANT EXPOSURE OR A
TOXIC RELATIONSHIP, ALL OF THOSE
COMBINE WITH BIOLOGY TO AFFECT
THE HEALTH OF WOMEN AND WE MUST
CONSIDER ALL OF THEM IN ORDER TO
HAVE THE FULL PICTURE AND TO
HAVE THE FULL IMPACT.
AND HERE'S A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES
IN TERMS OF HOW THAT PLAYS
OUTMENT WE DO SEE THAT ONE
QUARTER OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED
STATES EXPERIENCE SEVERE
PHYSICAL INTIMATE PARTNER
VIOLENCE IN THEIR LIFETIME.
ONE QUARTER.
AND BECAUSE OF SWAN, WE ARE ABLE
TO HAVE THESE NEW FINDINGS THAT
WOMEN WHO ARE EXPERIENCED
PHYSICAL IPV ALSO SAW A DECLINE
IN THEIR WORKING MEMORY DURING
THE MENOPAUSAL TRANSITION.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE
LIFECOURSE PERSPECTIVE MUST BE
APPLIED AND THE BENEFITS TO
APPLYING THAT PERSPECTIVE.
OF COURSE SWAN IS A LARGE STUDY
AND THIS ONE WAS A SUBSET OF THE
OVER 3,000 PARTICIPANTS, AND
HERE AT THE MOST RECENT
MENOPAUSE SOCIETY MEETING JUST A
FEW WEEKS AGO, A SMALLER STUDY,
THE PAN OVARIAN AGING STUDY,
FOUND THAT ADVERSE CHILDHOOD
EXPERIENCES GREATER THAN EQUAL
TO TWO OF THOSE WERE ASSOCIATED
WITH WORSE IMMEDIATE VERBAL AND
DELAYED VERBAL RECALL IN THE
MENOPAUSAL TRANSITION.
SO CLEARLY SOMETHING IS
HAPPENING IN TERMS OF MEMORY
COGNITION AND RELATED TO
VIOLENCE AND TRAUMA IN PREVIOUS
EXPOSURE.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT
BETTER.
I WAS ABSOLUTELY HONORED TO BE
IN THE WHITE HOUSE WHEN
PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNED EXECUTIVE
ORDER 14120 TO ADVANCE WOMEN'S
HEALTH RESEARCH AND INNOVATION.
AN INCREDIBLE LANDMARK EFFORT,
THE LARGEST AND BROADEST EVER
EXECUTIVE ACTION RELATED TO
WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH.
THE FOUR COMPONENTS ARE LISTED
HERE.
PRIORITIZING INVESTMENTS ACROSS
THE FEDERAL PORTFOLIO
INTEGRATING GALVANIZING NEW
RESEARCH TO SUPPORT WOMEN'S MID
LIFE HEALTH, AND THEN ASSESSING
UNMET NEEDS.
I'VE BEEN WORKING ACROSS NIH AND
OTHER AGENCIES TO DO THAT, AND
I'LL BE TELLING YOU A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THAT LATER ON.
WHY IS THIS MENOPAUSAL
TRANSITION SO IMPORTANT?
IT'S AT THAT TIME PERIOD, WHICH
IS A CRITICAL JUNCTURE, WHERE WE
SEE CHRONIC LOGICAL, BIOLOGICAL
AND REPRODUCTIVE AGING COMING
TOGETHER.
WE RECOGNIZE THE EFFECTS OF
CHRONOLOGICAL AGING FOR EXAMPLE
IN TERMS OF INSULIN RESISTANCE,
BUT WE ALSO SEE OVARIAN AGING
CONSEQUENCES, WE SEE THE
INTERSECTION OF THE TWO, AND
THEN WE SEE THINGS WE DON'T
UNDERSTAND AS TO WHY, FOR
EXAMPLE, METABOLIC SYNDROME
IS -- ITS SEVERITY INCREASES
RIGHT AT THE MENOPAUSAL
TRANSITION.
IS THAT AN AGE EFFECT, IS THAT
AN OVARIAN EFFECT?
WE HAVE QUESTIONS.
AND WE CLEARLY NEED TO ANSWER
THEM.
I USUALLY SHOW THIS AT THE
BEGINNING OF WOMEN'S MEDLINE
HEALTH TALKS TO BRING HOME HOW
AGE IS NOT THE ONLY WAY --
CHRONOLOGICAL AGE IS NOT THE
ONLY WAY WE AGE AND IT'S NOT THE
ONLY FACTOR IMPORTANT FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASE
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT TRANSITION
IS AN IMPORTANT PERIOD OF TIME
AND THAT REPRESENTS AN
INFLECTION POINT FOR INCREASED
RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
IN PARTICULAR.
THIS DATA SHOWS CARDIOVASCULAR
DISEASE INCIDENCE FOR WOMEN
DIFFERENT AGES HERE IN THE
CENTER, AND WHETHER THEY'RE
PREMENOPAUSAL VERSUS
POST-MENOPAUSAL.
AND YOU CAN SEE AT EVERY AGE,
HIGHER RATES OF CARDIOVASCULAR
DISEASE INCIDENCE FOR SAME
CHRONOLOGICAL AGE WOMEN WHO ARE
POST-MENOPAUSAL.
SO THERE'S CLEAR EVIDENCE FOR
THAT.
OTHER STUDIES AGAIN SUPPORTED BY
SWAN HERE LOOKING AT VASOMOTOR
SYMPTOMS, BECAUSE WE DO KNOW
THAT CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IN
WOMEN HAS UNIQUE FE FEATURES.
SOME OF THEM ARE ASSOCIATED WITH
REPRODUCTIVE FACTORS AND WE
DON'T UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING
ABOUT THEM.
BUT VASOMOTOR SYMPTOMS WHICH 80%
OF WOMEN EXPERIENCE HAVE BEEN
LINKED TO CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
RISK AND HERE'S ONE OF THE
STUDIES THAT SHOW THAT.
FREQUENT AND PERSISTENT
VASOMOTOR SYMPTOMS WERE
ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED RISK
OF LATER CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
EVENTS.
SO THIS IS A NOVEL
FEMALE-SPECIFIC CVD RISK FACTOR
AND IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY
TO INTERVENE.
WE DO ALSO KNOW THAT WOMEN TEND
TO HAVE MORE CHRONIC DISEASES
THAN MEN DO.
MULTI-MORBIDITY AND THE GRAPH ON
THE LEFT HIGHLIGHTS THE FACT
THAT FOR ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT
RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS, THE
RATES FOR WOMEN OF OVER TWO
CHRONIC CONDITIONS EXCEED THOSE
OF MEN.
OVER ON THE RIGHT THE COMPLEXITY
OF THE NETWORKS OF CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN THESE CO-MORBIDITIES IS
MORE DETAILED IN WOMEN THAN IN
MEN, AND THEN THE BOTTOM HERE
BASICALLY SHOWING THAT THEY'RE
MORE DISCORDANT, MEANING SOMATIC
AND PSYCHIATRIC COMORBIDITIES AS
WELL AS DIFFERENT ORGAN SYSTEMS
INVOLVED IN CHRONIC DISEASE
COMORBIDITIES IN WOMEN AS
COMPARED TO MEN.
IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR WOMEN AND
MEN TO ADDRESS THE
MULTI-MORBIDITY PROBLEM.
IN TERMS OF THE MENOPAUSE
RESEARCH THAT NIH HAS SUPPORTED,
OF COURSE NIA HAS BEEN THE
LEADER, AND MS. BRAIN, MS. FLASH
ARE OTHER EXAMPLES OF REALLY
THOUGHTFUL APPROACHES TO
IDENTIFYING THERAPEUTIC TARGETS,
TESTING, STRATEGIES, AND WE WERE
THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT
THIS WORK IN 2022, WITH ONE OFF
UR QUARTERLY PUBLICATIONS CALLED
WOMEN HEALTH IN FOCUS.
THEN IN 2023, OUR ANNUAL
RECOGNITION, NIH'S ANNUAL
RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL WOMEN'S
HEALTH WEEK, THE VIVIAN
PALESTVIF
THE VIVIAN PINN SYMPOSIUM
FOCUSED JUST ON MID LIFE HEALTH
OF WOMEN AND MENOPAUSE THOSE
MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE
WEBSITE.
I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE WITH
RICHARD HIGH YOU LIGHTING THE
CRITICAL NATURE OF ACCOUNTING
FOR SEX AS A BIOLOGICAL VARIABLE
AND EVERYTHING WE DO AND HOW
THAT BENEFITS ALL OF US.
SO THE INNOVATIONS TESTING
PROGRAM PROGRAM BEGAN LONG
BEFORE SABB AND WAS EVEN AN
ARTICULATION RIGOROUSLY INCLUDED
MALES AND FEMALES AND LOOKED AT
DIFFERENCES.
HERE'S JUST AN EXAMPLE WITH
RAPAMYCIN SHOWING DIFFERENCES IN
DOSAGE AND DURATION AND YOU KNOW
THIS VERY THOUGHTFULLY TAKING
INTO CONSIDER THE STANDARDIZED
APPROACH AND PROTOCOLS THAT ARE
EVALUATED.
SO BEYOND SABV, IT'S NOT JUST
ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES, IT'S
ALWAYS ABOUT FEMALE SPECIFIC
ISSUES BUT I ALWAYS LIKE TO
INCLUDE SEX DIFFERENCES AS WELL
BECAUSE THAT'S A PART OF THE
STORY AS WELL.
I'M ALSO EXCITED TO SHARE WITH
YOU THAT AS OF FY 23, NIH NOW
HAS AN RCDC TERM RESEARCH
CONDITION AND DISEASE CATEGORY
TERM THAT WILL -- FOR MENOPAUSE
RESEARCH THAT ALLOWS US TO
CAPTURE AND TRACK OUR
INVESTMENTS.
YOU'RE NOT SURPRISED TO SEE THE
ROYAL BLUE THAT FOR FY 23, THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING
SUPPORTED 58%, NEARLY 60% OF
NIH'S MENOPAUSE RESEARCH CODED
BY RCDC.
YOU SEE NIMH AT 11%, HEART, LUNG
AND BLOOD AT 8%, DIABETES,
DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY DISEASES AT
4% AND ALMOST 20% OTHER
INSTITUTES TOGETHER.
BUT I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT FOR
YOU THE FACT THAT THAT DOESN'T
TELL THE FULL STORY.
IN FACT, THIS DATA IS FROM A
REPORTER USING THAT SAME FQ23
DATASET AND YOU CAN SEE IN TERMS
OF THE TOM IX ADDRESSED RANGING
FROM SEX DIFFERENCES FOR EXAMPLE
IN THE BRAIN, HORMONES,
ALZHEIMER'S, BREAST CANCER, LONG
TERM AND CLINICAL TRIALS YOU SEE
ALL OF THOSE PROJECT AREAS AND
THEY WERE FUNDED BY ALL OF THOSE
INSTITUTES LISTED THERE.
SO IT IS A BROAD TOPIC, WE ALL
KNOW, AND WE HAVE MULTIPLE
INSTITUTES AND CENTERS
ADDRESSING IT FROM VARIOUS
ADVANTAGE TAJ POINTS A
VANTAGE POINTS ALIGNED FROM
THEIR AREAS AND THAT'S
IMPORTANT.
WE ALSO REALIZED CARDIOVASCULAR
DISEASE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF
DEATH IN WOMEN WORLDWIDE, CAUSES
MORE DEATHS THAN ALL CANCERS
COMBINED AND WE KNOW THERE ARE
CARDIOMETABOLIC CHANGES THAT
OCCUR DURING THE MENOPAUSAL
TRANSITION, THAT THAT
PERIMENOPAUSE, LATE MENOPAUSE,
THOSE ARE DIFFERENT, THAT THIS
IS A TRANSITION WITH DIFFERENT
CHARACTERISTICS.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL
THIS INFORMATION HERE BECAUSE
IT'S WELL-KNOWN TO YOU, BUT YOU
KNOW, WE SEE THE DECREASE IN
ESTROGEN AND INCREASE IN FSH
ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASE IN
ADIPOSITY, WHETHER THAT'S
SUBCUTANEOUS OR VISCERAL,
CHANGES IN SLEEP PATTERNS,
CHANGES IN M METABOLISM, FAT
OXIDATION, FOR EXAMPLE,
ENDOTHELIAL DYSFUNCTION,
VASCULAR REMODELING.
LOTS OF THINGS ARE CHANGING AT
THE SAME TIME AS CHRONOLOGY IS
PROGRESSING RELATED TO
MENOPAUSE.
SO WHEN YOU SEE GRAPHS LIKE
THIS, THIS IS WORK BY ROBBY DIAZ
WHO PRESENTED AT OUR MOST RECENT
ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING ON
CHANGES IN METABOLISM IN THE
BRAIN, WHERE YOU SEE GLUCOSE
METABOLISM CLEARLY GOING DOWN
AND OTHER CHANGES, YOU'RE NOT
SURPRISED.
I ACTUALLY SIMPLIFIED HER SLIDE.
SHE HAS ABOUT 12 DIFFERENT LINES
IN DIFFERENT DIRECTS OF ALL THE
CHANGES GOING ON IN THE BRAIN
DURING THAT TRANSITION.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE INTO
EFFECT THE COMPLEXITY OF THE
TRANSITION, AND THE FACT THAT IT
OCCURS IN DIFFERENT WAYS IN
DIFFERENT ORGANS AND IN
DIFFERENT CELL TYPES.
SO IN TERMS OF BONE HEALTH,
ANOTHER REALLY IMPORTANT TOPIC,
DR. SHERRI-ANN BURNETT-BOWIE
TALKED ABOUT HOWL WE DO SEE
ASSOCIATED BONE LOSS AND
INCREASED FRACTURE RISK.
WE DORC DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING WD
TO KNOW ABOUT THAT.
STUDIES LIKE MOTRPAC AND THOSE
TWO PARs NIA HAS PUT OUT
LOOKING AT SEX AND GENDER
DIFFERENCES IN ALZHEIMER'S
DISEASE HIGHLIGHT ALL OF THE
WAYS THAT NIH IS SUPPORTING
SCIENTISTS TO LOOK FOR SEX
DIFFERENCES AND TRY AND
UNDERSTAND WHAT WE SEE WHEN WE
FIND THEM.
WE'RE FINDING A LOT OF THEM, AND
I THINK THAT GIVES US ROBUST
SUBSTRATE FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS
TO TRY TO CHARACTERIZE WHAT THEY
MEAN AND THE MOLECULAR
UNDERPINNINGS OF THOSE SEX
DIFFERENCES.
SO AT ORWH, WE ACTUALLY LEAD
NIH'S ONLY DISEASE-AGNOSTIC SEX
DIFFERENCES CENTER-LEVEL PROGRAM
CALLED THE SPECIALIZED CENTERS
OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE ON SEX
DIFFERENCES OR SCORE.
THIS PROGRAM HAS A BASIC SCIENCE
COMPONENT, A TRANSLATIONAL
COMPONENT, A CLINICAL COMPONENT,
AND A CAREER ENHANCEMENT CORE
WHERE WE'RE NOW SUPPORTING PILOT
STUDIES FOR INVESTIGATORS.
THESE ARE THE SCIENTISTS THAT
ARE DEEP INTO SEX DIFFERENCES
AND THEY'RE TESTING TOOLS AND
STRATEGIES LIKE SEX STRATIFIED
RANDOMIZATION IN THEIR CLINICAL
STUDIES, STUDIES THAT ARE POWER
TODAY LOOK FOR SEX DEPENDENT
EFFECTS, STANDARD SEX
DISAGGREGATING OF RESULTS AND
OTHER APPROACHES.
IT'S OUR PRIVILEGE TO
COLLABORATE WITH FIVE
INSTITUTES, CENTERS AND OFFICES
ON OUR 12 ACTIVE SCORE PROGRAMS.
HERE ARE THE CURRENT PROGRAMS
THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT NIA IS THE
INSTITUTE THAT SUPPORTS THE MOST
SCORE PROGRAMS WITH SIX HERE,
AND THE RANGE OF SCIENCE WE'RE
CONDUCTING AND SUPPORTING
THROUGH THIS, WHETHER IT'S
CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH OR
AUTONOMIC DYSREGULATION IN
PRENATAL STRESS LEADING TO
DEPRESSION LATER IN LIFE, SEX
DIFFERENCES IN ALCOHOL USE
DISORDER OR HYPERTENSION AT
AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY, WHICH IS OUR
NEWEST SCORE.
SO WE ARE DELIGHTED TO BE
PARTNERING WITH NIA AND HAVE
PARTNERED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS
ON THE SPECIALIZED CENTERS OF
RESEARCH EXCELLENCE ON SEX
DIFFERENCES.
I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT JUST ONE
OF THOSE PROGRAMS HERE AND TALK
TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS OF SEX
DIFFERENCES RESEARCH.
THIS IS THE CEDARS-SINAI PROGRAM
WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING AT
MICROVASCULAR AGING AND
ICOSINOIDS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT IMPLICATIONS
FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE.
I KNOW THAT GUIDELINES, OF
COURSE, ARE INFORMED BY RESEARCH
GENERATED BY AND OFTEN SUPPORTED
BY NIH AND THEN IN ORDER TO MAKE
SURE THAT THOSE GUIDELINES ARE
INFORMED BY EVIDENCE, WE NEED TO
HAVE THAT SEX-AWARE APPROACH TO
GENERATING OUR EVIDENCE AND
MAKING SURE OUR STUDIES ARE
DESIGNED IN A WAY SO THAT WE CAN
UNDERSTAND THE OUTCOMES FOR
WOMEN AND MEN.
AND DR. NO.
EL MERZ IS THE DIRECTOR AT THE
BARBARA STREISAND WOMEN'S HEART
CENTER AT CEDARS-SINAI, AND SHE
CHALLENGES US TO THINK ABOUT
WHETHER CERTAIN KEY CONTRIBUTORS
ARE BEING MEASURED INADEQUATELY
OR INCORRECTLY AND WHETHER WE
NEED TO RETOOL OUR USUAL
APPROACHES.
FOR EXAMPLE, HER SCORE FOUND
THAT NORMAL -- AND WE KNEW THIS
BEFORE -- BUT SHE FOUND IT IN A
DEFINITIVE WAY, NORMAL BLOOD
PRESSURE FOR WOMEN IS LOWER THAN
NORMAL BLOOD PRESSURE FOR MEN.
OKAY?
WELL, SHE LOOKED FURTHER AT THE
THRESHOLDS FOR HYPERTENSION AND
THE CARDIOVASCULAR CONSEQUENCES
OF HYPERTENSION, AND THE
CARDIOVASCULAR CONSEQUENCES FOR
HYPERTENSION OCCUR AT LOWER
SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE
THRESHOLDS THAN THEY DO FOR MEN.
SO MIGHT THAT CHANGE HOW WE
INTERVENE, AND TREAT
HYPERTENSION IN WOMEN, NOW THAT
WE SEE THIS SEX DIFFERENCE IN
THE CONSEQUENCES OF HYPERTENSION
IN WOMEN AS OPPOSED TO MEN.
WE ARE VERY MUCH SUPPORTING A
WHOLE PERSON APPROACH TO THE
HEALTH OF WOMEN, AND I'M GOING
TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT HERE
ABOUT WHERE WE'D LIKE TO SEE
THAT GO WITH MENOPAUSE.
YOU KNOW, MANY CLINICIANS SEE
PATIENTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 40
AND 55 WHO MAY BE EXPERIENCING
COGNITIVE CHANGES OR BRAIN FOG,
PATIENTS THAT MAY BE SAYING ALL
OF A SUDDEN THERE'S AN ISSUE
WITH INCONTINENCE OR BONE
CHANGES, A NEW FRACTURE
UNEXPECTED WITH MINOR TRAUMA,
YOU KNOW, PALPITATIONS, IS THIS
MENOPAUSE, IS THIS ARRHYTHMIA,
METABOLIC DYSFUNCTION, CHANGES
IN INSULIN RESISTANCE IN THE
50s, WEIGHT GAIN, AND THEN, OF
COURSE, ANXIETY AND MENTAL
HEALTH ARE INTEGRAL TO MENOPAUSE
CHANGES IN MID LIFE AND HOT
FLASHES, THE QUINTESSENTIAL
MENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS.
SO CLINICIANS WILL SEE PATIENTS
AND THEY'LL OFTEN REPORT SOME OF
THESE SYMPTOMS BUT MENOPAUSE IS
REALLY POTENTIALLY ALL OF THESE
SYMPTOMS AND ALL OF THESE ORGAN
SYSTEMS, AND I SHOWED YOU
DR. DIAZ BRITAN'S WORK,
DR. BOWIE'S WORK THAT SYSTEMS
ORGANS ARE CHANGING BENEATH THIS
SYSTEM CONSTELLATION AND SOME OF
THESE SYMPTOMS ARE QUITE
NONSPECIFIC.
SO IT MAY BE CHALLENGING TO SAY,
IS THIS SLEEP DISTURBANCE SLEEP
AAPNEA THAT NEEDS TO BE TREATED
OR IS THIS A MENOPAUSE SYMPTOM
THAT CAN BE MANAGED IN A
DIFFERENT WAY?
WHAT ARE THE ECONOMIC
IMPLICATIONS OF FAILING TO
ADDRESS THESE?
PROJECTED BY 2025, 3 MILLION
FRACTURES, COSTING $25 BILLION.
PER YEAR.
AND WITH THE GREATEST RISE
ANTICIPATED IN INDIVIDUALS WHO
IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC.
SO WE NEED TO ADDRESS THIS IN A
WHOLE PERSON PERSPECTIVE, BOTH
CLINICALLY AND IN OUR RESEARCH
IN A COORDINATED AND INTEGRATED
MANNER.
WE HAVE NEW APPROACHES.
SYSTEMS BIOLOGY APPROACHES WILL
ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO LOOK
ACROSS THIS CONTINUUM OF THE
MENOPAUSE TRANSITION AND
UNDERSTAND BETTER ALL OF THESE
FACTORS, EXERCISE, SLEEP,
NUTRITION, AND LOOK AT THE
CLINICAL SYNDROMES AND SYMPTOMS
THAT WOMEN ARE REPORTING TO
ADDRESS SPECIFICALLY THE HEALTH
OF WOMEN DURING THIS TRANSITION
IN A NEW AND TARGETED WAY.
BECAUSE OF EPIGENETICS, WE NOW
KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, METHYLATION
MAY AFFECT HOW DIFFERENT ORGANS
ARE AGING AT DIFFERENT RATES AND
ACCELERATION IN DIFFERENT ORGANS
BECAUSE OF SEX BIAS GENE
EXPRESSION, WHICH VIRTUALLY ALL
TISSUES HAVE SOME MEASURE OF SEX
BIAS GENE EXPRESSION AND
REGULATION.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT
TOGETHER IN AN INTEGRATED
FASHION, WHAT ARE THE TOXINS,
WHAT ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL
INFLUENCES, WHAT ABOUT THE
COMORBIDITIES.
WE NOW HAVE COMPUTATIONAL
APPROACHES THAT WOULD ALLOW US
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS RANGE
OF DATA AND CONVERGE ON THE
HEALTH OF WOMEN AND ASK NEW AND
DIFFERENT QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE
HAVE NEW AND BETTER TOOLS TO
ANSWER THEM.
IN TERMS OF MENOPAUSAL HORMONE
THERAPY, AGAIN DR. BRINTON'S
WORK LOOKED AT COLLECTION OF
STUDIES AND SHOWED DECREASE IN
THESE NEURODEGENERATIVE
DISEASES.
ON THE TOP THERE, SHE DEVELOPED
A PHYTOESTROGEN THAT PROMOTES
ESTROGEN RECEPTOR BETA IN THE
BRAIN ONLY, BUT HAS INHIBITORY
EFFECT IN REPRODUCTIVE TISSUES
AND THE BREAST.
SHE HAS A SMALL BUSINESS
INNOVATION GRANT FROM NIH AND
NIA FUNDING TO DO THIS WORK.
JUST AN EXAMPLE OF INNOVATION'S
ROLE IN PUSHING MENOPAUSE AND
MID LIFE HEALTH OF WOMEN
THERAPIES TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
I PROMISED YOU I WOULD TALK
ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE ORDER.
HERE I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A
COUPLE OF SLIDES ON STEPS THAT
WE'RE TAKING.
THERE ARE SEVERAL SECTIONS IN
THE EO OR EXECUTIVE ORDER.
ONE IS AROUND FURTHER
INTEGRATING WOMEN'S HEALTH IN
THE FEDERAL RESEARCH PROGRAM SO
BEYOND NIH, OUR PARTNERS AT DOD,
FOR EXAMPLE, AND WE'RE ENHANCING
SYSTEM-WIDEN HANSMENTS TO BE
ABLE TO INCORPORATE
CONSIDERATIONS OF WOMEN'S HEALTH
ACROSS THE ENTIRE GRANT LIFE
LIFECYCLE.
WE ISSUED A NOTICE OF SPECIAL
INTEREST, I'LL TALK ABOUT IT IN
A SECOND, REGARDING GALVANIZING
RESEARCH IN WOMEN'S MID LIFE
HEALTH.
WE ARE ADVANCING THAT THROUGH
MENOPAUSE COMMON DATA ELEMENTS.
WE HAVE A WORKING GROUP, WE DID
A LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS AND WE'RE
WORKING TO BE ABLE TO HARMONIZE
DATASETS IN THE FUTURE TO BE
ABLE TO MAXIMIZE OUR ABILITY TO
INTERROGATE THEM.
AND WE'RE PARTICIPATING IN
ROBUST EFFORTS TO LOOK AT OUR
FUNDING ACROSS THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
SO HERE ARE A COUPLE OF THE VERY
PRACTICAL ADVANCES THAT ARE
AVAILABLE TO YOU RIGHT NOW.
NOW YOU CAN GO TO THE ORWH
WEBSITE AND SEE ALL THE NIH
WOMEN'S SELF FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS ALL THE
ICs IN ONE PLACE.
FOR EXAMPLE YOU'VE GOT 11 OF
ORWH'S OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'RE
LEADING, 112 THAT WERE WITHIN
THE ICs AND THEN 42 NOTICES OF
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE
ICs.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU OUR
NEWEST FUNDING OPPORTUNITY,
WHICH IS FOCUSED ON
UNDERSTANDING CHRONIC CONDITIONS
UNDERSTUDIED AMONG WOMEN,
R01 AND R21, SO WE ARE RECEIVING
APPLICATIONS FOR THAT NEW
PROGRAM.
I MENTIONED SBIR/STTR PROGRAM,
THAT IS MANAGED THROUGH AN
OMNIBUS OPPORTUNITY THAT'S
CROSS-GOVERNMENTAL, AND THE
NEWEST ONE THAT JUST CAME OUT
THIS YEAR THAT INCLUDES FOR THE
FIRST TIME SPECIFIC LANGUAGE ON
WOMEN'S HEALTH AND ORWH HAS
SIGNED ON FOR THE FIRST TIME.
YOU MAY REALIZE THIS IS
MANDATORY SPENDING ACROSS THESE
AGENCIES.
IT'S NON-DILUTIVE CAPITAL AND
IT'S NOT A LOAN SO IT A REALLY
EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES, FOR INNOVATION AND
TECH TRANSFER, AND HIGHLIGHTED
ON THE RIGHT ON THE GRANT LIFE
SAY KEL, YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT
CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE AT
THAT PROOF OF CONCEPT AND R & D
EARLY STAGES.
SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET THE
WORD OUT AND LET PEOPLE KNOW
THEY SHOULD APPLY FOR THOSE.
HERE'S THE NIH-WIDE NOTICE OF
SPECIAL INTEREST I MENTIONED,
STARTING ON THE LEFT THERE, SO
THIS NOSI HAS 30 PARTICIPATING
INSTITUTES AND CENTERS,
LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE INSTITUTE
THAT WAS ELIGIBLE SIGNED ON TO
THIS NOSI.
THERE ARE 41 DISTINCT
OPPORTUNITIES IN THESE
CATEGORIES FROM GRANTS TO Ks
TO Fs TO SMALL BUSINESS.
THESE CORRESPOND TO SEVEN
INVESTIGATOR INITIATED
OPPORTUNITIES, 15 SOLICITED, 10
CAREER, FIVE Fs, AND THEN THE
OMNIBUS THAT I MENTIONED THAT
CROSSES MULTIPLE AGENCIES AND
ALL INSTITUTES AND CENTERS AT
NIH.
IN THIS NOSI, EVERY INSTITUTE
ARTICULATED THEIR WOMEN'S HEALTH
PRIORITIES.
SO YOU HAVE 175 PRIORITY TOPICS
IDENTIFIED THAT WE ARE
INTERESTED IN.
AND THIS TRANSLATES TO 466
UNIQUE PATHWAYS FOR WOMEN'S
HEALTH RESEARCH FUNDING AT NIH
THAT DID NOT EXIST PRIOR TO THE
EO.
WE TOOK THIS ON SERIOUSLY.
WE'VE PROVIDED PATHWAYS FOR
FUNDING.
WE WELCOME APPLICATIONS THAT ARE
ALOONED ALIGNED WITH OUR MISSIOR
PRIORITIES ACROSS THOSE
INSTITUTES AND CENTERS, AND THEY
RANGE ON TOPICS FROM VIOLENCE TO
BASIC SCIENCE OF INFECTION,
POPULATION-LEVEL STUDIES,
AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE, ENTIRE
RESEARCH CONTINUUM, MULTIPLE
MECHANISMS, GRANTS, CONTRACTS
AND OTHER ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU.
SO I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF
THE WAYS THAT DR. BERTAGNOLLI,
OUR NIH DIRECTOR, HAS WORKED ON
WOMEN'S MID LIFE HEALTH AS ONE
OF THE FEATURES OF THE ESM O.
EO.
AS I MENTIONED TBAFL NIEZING GAG
RESEARCH ON MID LIFE HEALTH IS
INCLUDED THERE.
WE HAVE CREATED A NEW WOMEN'S
HEALTH ROUNDTABLE TO BRING
TOGETHER INTERESTED PARTIES AND
THE FIRST ROUNDTABLE WAS ON MID
LIFE HEALTH.
DR. BERTAGNOLLI WAS THERE AND
SHE PROVIDED REMARKS TO LAUNCH
THE FIRST EVER PATHWAYS TO
PREVENTION PROGRAM FOCUSED
SPECIFICALLY ON MENOPAUSE.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY THRILLED
ABOUT THAT.
THE OFFICE OF DISEASE PREVENTION
IS THE LEAD, ARC IS A PARTNER
AND IT A MULTIAGENCY FEDERAL
EFFORT THAT'S JUST GETTING
UNDERWAY.
AND IN ONE OF HER RECENT BLOGS,
SHE HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPACT OF
OSTEOPOROSIS, THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE AFFECTED AROUND THE
WORLD, THAT WOMEN ARE MORE
LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED DUE TO
DECLINING LEVELS OF ESTROGEN AT
MENOPAUSE, AND THEN IT CAN HAVE
RARELY NOTICEABLE SYMPTOMS BUT
IT CAN HAVE CONSEQUENCES.
AND SO SHE ALSO INCLUDED
DR. INGRAHAM'S WORK AND I DID
NOT KNOW DR. INGRAHAM WAS GOING
TO BE ON THE AGENDA WHEN I
PULLED THIS SLIDE WHICH I
ACTUALLY SHARED WITH
DR. BERTAGNOLLI ABOUT TWO MONTHS
AGO ABOUT HER WORK IDENTIFYING
THIS BRAIN-DERIVED HORMONE
THAT'S ABLE TO STIMULATE
SKELETAL STEM CELLS, BUT MY
UNDERSTANDING, THIS WAS
IDENTIFIED BECAUSE OF A
FEMALE-SPECIFIC HUMORAL AGENT
THAT WAS PRESENT IN LACTATING
FEMALES THAT SUPPORTS BONE
DESPITE A REDUCTION IN ESTROGEN
POSTPARTUM.
SO TRYING TO CHARACTERIZE WHAT
WAS HAPPENING IN FEMALE
LACTATING MICE, THIS BASIC
SCIENCE LEVEL AND DR. INGRAHAM,
I TRIE TRIED TO PUT IN ALL YOUR
ELEGANT EXPERIMENTS, I SAID I'M
NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN
ALL THESE TRANSPLANTS.
MAYBE YOU WILL LATER ON, BUT
INCREDIBLE WORK WITH SHOWING HOW
ACCOUNTING FOR SEX AS A
BIOLOGICAL VARIABLE, LOOKING AT
FEMALE-SPECIFIC FACTORS, LOOKING
AT WHETHER THE C CN3 WORKS IN
MALES AND FEMALES, IT DOES, HAS
IDENTIFIED A POTENTIAL NEW
THERAPEUTIC TARGET FOR
OSTEOPOROSIS THAT WOULD BENEFIT
WOMEN AND MEN.
WOULD BENEFIT EVERYONE.
SO WRAPPING UP HERE, MENOPAUSE,
MORE THAN A MILLION WOMEN, SOME
DATA SHOW 2 MILLION, MORE THAN
80% EXPERIENCE VASOMOTOR
SYMPTOMS OR HOT FLASHES.
ONLY 15% OF WOMEN RECEIVE
EVIDENCE-WAST-BASED INTERVENTIOR
THEIR TREATMENTS.
ONLY A THIRD, LESS THAN A THIRD
OF U.S. RESIDENTS REPORT
RECEIVING MENOPAUSE CURRICULUM
IN THEIR RESIDENCY.
I THINK THOSE TWO THERE ARE
RELATED.
AND THAT FOLLOWING MENOPAUSE, WE
KNOW THIS IS THE INFLECTION
POINT FOR DIAGNOSIS OF CHRONIC
DISEASES.
SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
INTERVENE, TO PREVENT, TO
MITIGATE, TO DELAY.
WE'RE COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE
HEALTH OF WOMEN ACROSS THEIR
LIFECOURSE, AS IS NIH.
THERE ARE MANY GAPS IN OUR
KNOWLEDGE.
WE STILL DON'T KNOW ABOUT WHAT
ARE THE BEST DIAGNOSTICS THAT
DELINEATE A MENOPAUSE SYMPTOM
FROM A CHRONIC DISEASE SYMPTOM.
WHAT ARE THE BEST BIOMARKERS TO
TELL US WHERE A WOMAN IS IN THIS
TRANSITION, DU DO THE SEVERITY F
SYMPTOMS IDENTIFY WHERE A WOMAN
IS IN THIS TRANSITION, DO
SEVERITY OF SYMPTOMS TELL US
WHERE A WOMAN IS IN THIS
TRANSITION, WE KNOW THE TIMING
IS AN ISSUE, WE KNOW THAT THE
HORMONE FORMULATIONS ARE AN
ISSUE.
WE HAVE NEW FORMULATIONS, WE
NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEM BETTER.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE TIME
THAT WE SHOULD START THOSE
THERAPIES FOR WHICH WOMEN, AND
WE DO KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT
EARLY ONSET OF MENOPAUSE,
WHETHER IT'S IATROGENIC OR
PREMATURE OVARIAN INSUFFICIENCY,
IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED
RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
OUTCOMES.
HOW CAN WE INTERVENE IN THOSE
WOMEN?
AND HOW CAN WE EQUITABLY IMPROVE
EDUCATION AND ACCESS TO CARE,
EVIDENCE-BASED CARE, FOR ALL
WOMEN WITH SYMPTOMS OF MENOPAUSE
WHO DESIRE INTERVENTION.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF OUR
QUESTIONS.
THIS IS THE MY MENA PLAN WEBPAGE
WHICH HIGHLIGHT RESEARCH-BASED
INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THERAPIES ARE
AVAILABLE, AND WE HAVE A WEBPAGE
ON MENOPAUSE AND MID LIFE HEALTH
THAT HIGHLIGHTS INFORMATION
ACROSS NIH, AND I REALLY DO
BELIEVE THAT MANY WOMEN NEED
OPTIONS TO MANAGE THEIR
MENOPAUSE TRANSITION
SUCCESSFULLY, AND DOING SO WILL
ALLOW THEM TO ENHANCE THEIR OWN
HEALTH AND MANY ASPECTS OF THEIR
LIVES AS WELL AS GAIN FROM FULL
PARTICIPATION AND BENEFITS WE
GAIN FROM THEIR FULL
PARTICIPATION AND BENEFIT FROM
THEIR BRILLIANCE AND ENERGY.
SO WE HAVE FULL COURSES ONLINE,
YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL
MEDIA HERE.
I'M ONLY ONE MINUTE OVER, SO
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
ATTENTION TODAY.
>> JANINE, THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY
SPECTACULAR.
YOU COVERED IT ALL CLEARLY AND
TIMING IS PERFECT.
SO WE HAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS.
GO AHEAD.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS
PRESENTATION, AND WONDERING IF
YOU SEE THE EXECUTIVE ORDER AS A
VEHICLE FOR INCREASING
INVESTMENT BY THE OTHER
INSTITUTES IN WOMEN'S HEALTH,
YOU KNOW, ON THE ONE HAND, I
HAVE TO CONGRATULATE THE NIA FOR
LEADING THE WAY, BUT ON THE
OTHER HAND, I GET I GUESS A
LITTLE DISTRESSED THAT THE OTHER
INSTITUTES ARE LAGGING ON THIS.
AND I SHOULD HAVE BEGUN WITH AN
INTRODUCTION -- I'M NANCY
LUNDEBJERG, AMERICAN GERIATRIC
SOCIETY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT
GREAT QUESTION.
ACTUALLY WE HAD A PRESENTATION
THIS MORNING AT THE INSTITUTE
AND CENTER DIRECTORS MEETING
WHERE WE LOOKED AT ACROSS NIH,
THE NUMBER OF FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE -- WE'VE
RELEASED AS AN AGENCY.
THEY'VE GONE UP DRAMATICALLY
FROM 2019 TO 2023, WHICH WAS OUR
LAST STRATEGIC PLAN.
I HIGHLIGHTED INFORMATION ON
MENOPAUSE RESEARCH SPECIFICALLY.
FOR NIA.
THE OTHER INSTITUTES ARE
ADDRESSING WOMEN'S HEALTH
RESEARCH IN VARIOUS OTHER
TOPICS.
AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT JUST
ABOUT THE NUMBER OF FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES.
IT'S ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE
OPPORTUNITIES, WHERE THE SCIENCE
IS GOING, ARE WE PROVIDING
PATHWAYS FOR FUNDING FOR
INVESTIGATOR-INITIATED IDEAS, AS
WELL AS RFAs, THINGS WE WOULD
LIKE TO SEE, AND I THINK WITH
THAT NEW NOTICE OF SPECIAL
INTEREST I HIGHLIGHTED, THERE
ARE AS MANY PATHWAYS AS POSSIBLE
FOR ADDRESSING IDEAS.
EACH OF THE INSTITUTES IS UNIQUE
IN THEIR WOMEN'S HEALTH SPACE,
AND IT'S OUR PRIVILEGE TO WORK
ACROSS THE INTS TEUTS THROUGH
THE COORDINATING COMMITTEE FOR
RESEARCH ON WOMEN'S HEALTH AND
WE ARE NOW EMBARKING ON THE
EARLY PLANNING STAGES OF
INTERDISCIPLINARY WOMEN'S HEALTH
RESEARCH, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FOR
MORE COLLABORATION ACROSS THE
INSTITUTES AND CENTERS, LEVERAGE
THOSE EQUITIES THAT THEY ALREADY
HAVE, BE EFFECTIVE IN BRINGING
THEM TOGETHER, BUT ALSO, AND
IMPORTANTLY, BE MORE EFFECTIVE
IN ANSWERING INTEGRATIVE
QUESTIONS THAT ARE HIGHLY
RELEVANT TO THE WAY WOMEN
EXPERIENCE HEALTH TODAY.
SO HOPEFULLY IN A YEAR OR TWO,
I'LL BE BACK SHOWING YOU SOME
SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES.
IN A SHORTER TERM, WE'LL SEE
SOME NEW WAYS OF DOING RESEARCH
IN A MORE COLLABORATIVE WAY.
WE'RE ALREADY DOING THAT.
BUT I THINK WE CAN TAKE TO THE
NEXT LEVEL WITH THE NEWER TOOLS
AND APPROACHES THAT ARE
AVAILABLE TO US.
>> IF I CAN JUST ADD, SCIENCE IS
GOING TO DRIVE US IN THAT
DIRECTION AS MUCH AS EXECUTIVE
ORDERS.
SOME OF THE EXAMPLES WERE CITED,
AROUND MOTRPAC, BEYOND
ANTICIPATED DIFFERENCES, SEX
GENDER DIFFERENCES IN ALMOST
EVERY VARIABLE, EVERY ORGAN AND
TISSUE, UNPREDICTABLE DIRECTS
ARE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO
STIMULATE NEW AREAS OF RESEARCH,
IT'S GOING TO AFFECT EVERYONE
ACROSS ALL OF NIH.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT.
I TH THINK HOLLY HAS A QUESTIONT
RICHARD JUST HIGHLIGHTED THE
FACT THAT THE RESEARCH BEING
DONE IN A DIFFERENT WAY APPLYING
SABV TO THE RESEARCH, BEING MORE
RIGOROUS HAS MADE IT MORE
RELEVANT TO THE HEALTH OF WOMEN.
HAS GIVEN US DATA THAT ALLOWS US
TO ASK NEW QUESTIONS.
THAT MAY NOT BE CODED AS WOMEN'S
HEALTH RESEARCH.
IT'S RIGOROUS RESEARCH THAT
LOOKS AT SABV.
AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER WAY HOW
THE ENTIRE ENTERPRISE IS DOING
RESEARCH RELEVANT TO THE HEALTH
OF WOMEN.
>> I GUESS I HAD A QUESTION ON
HOW DO WE PROMOTE OUR WORKFORCE
SO THAT WE REALLY INCREASE IT SO
THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING
WITH RESPECT TO NOT ONLY WOMEN'S
HEALTH BUT SEX DIFFERENCES, AND
SEX AS A BIOLOGICAL VARIABLE.
>> HOW DO WE SUPPORT OUR ENTIRE
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH WORKFORCE
RELATED TO BOTH WOMEN'S HEALTH,
SEX DIFFERENCES, SABV.
WE COLLABORATE WITH THE FDA ON
THOSE COURSES.
WE HAVE AN SABV PRIMER WHICH
SPECIFICALLY IS ABOUT HOW TO
APPLY SABV TO YOUR RESEARCH.
WE HAVE A TRAIN THE TRAINER
MODULE THAT GOES WITH THAT SO
THAT IF AN INSTRUCTOR IS NOT
USED TO TALKING ABOUT SABV, WE
HAVE A TRAIN THE TRAINER VIDEO
AS WELL AS THE SABV PRIMER, THEN
WE HAVE SIX MODULES IN OUR BENCH
TO BEDSIDE COURSE, WHICH
HIGHLIGHTS HOW SEX AND GENDER
AFFECT HEALTH AND DISEASE, FOR
EXAMPLE, IN NEUROLOGY OR
IMMUNOLOGY.
I'M LOOKING FOR TO YOU HELP ME
GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THOSE
TOOLS SO THEY CAN BE UTILIZED.
RAISING AWARENESS, THE EO
CERTAINLY HAS RAISED AWARENESS
ABOUT THE TOPIC, BUT AS RICHARD
SAID, IT'S THE SCIENCE, IT'S THE
CLINICAL NEED, IT'S THE VOICES
OF WOMEN, AND IT'S THE DEMANDS
OF TODAY AND SOCIETY THAT ARE
DRIVING WHAT WE NEED TO DO NEXT,
AND I THINK WE HAVE REALLY THE
POTENTIAL FOR EXCELLING PROGRESS
WITH THIS MOMENT.
>> SHARON, YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
>> YES.
THANK YOU, IT WAS JUST AN
AMAZING, WONDERFUL PRESENTATION,
AND IT WAS SO GREAT TO HEAR
ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
MY QUESTION SPECIFICALLY IS
REGARDING NOW ON PROGRESS
REPORTING, MOST PROJECTS ARE
REQUIRED ON THE RECRUITMENT AND
ENROLLMENT TABLES TO STRI STRATY
SEX ON WHO'S ENROLLED AND SO
FORTH, AND I'M WONDERING IF THAT
COULD BE EXTENDED EVEN FURTHER
TO REQUIRE THAT DATA REPORTING
BE STRATIFIED BY GENDER -- BY
SEX, I MEAN, IN ALL CASES SUCH
THAT EVENTUALLY, THIS COULD FORM
A DATABASE FOR FUTURE RESEARCH.
I JUST THINK IT'S AN INCREDIBLE
OPPORTUNITY WHERE NIH COULD LEAD
THE WAY, AND I'M HOPING THAT
MIGHT BE CONSIDERED.
BECAUSE MANY STUDIES ARE
UNDERPOWERED TO LOOK AT
SEX-SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, BUT IF
IT WAS THERE ON EVERY STUDY,
EVENTUALLY IT COULD JUST BE
UNPARALLELED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO RAISE THAT
AS A QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT
QUESTION.
WL THE SEX AS A BIOLOGICAL
VARIABLE POLICY, WE REQUEST THAT
YOU ACCOUNT FOR SABV IN THE
RESEARCH DESIGN, ANALYSIS AND
REPORTING OF YOUR WORK AND TO
JUSTIFY SCIENTIFICALLY
SINGLE-SEX STUDIES.
THAT INCLUDES THE PROJECT
REPORT.
WE ARE ENCOURAGING INVESTIGATORS
WHO WE'RE FUNDING WITH PUBLIC
FUNDING TO PROVIDE THAT KIND OF
INFORMATION IN THEIR PROGRESS
REPORTS.
WE KNOW THAT EACH YEAR YOU MAY
BE PROGRESSING AT DIFFERENT
RATES AND DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF
YOUR GRANTS, BUT WE ALSO
UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A FINAL
PROGRESS REPORT, AND NOW IN THAT
PROJECT OUTCOMES SECTION OF THAT
FINAL RPPR, FOR CLINICAL TRIALS,
WE NOW REQUEST THAT YOU INCLUDE
INFORMATION AND SO THE
INSTRUCTIONS, IT'S A
CLARIFICATION OF PREVIOUS
POLICY, INCLUDE INFORMATION ON
THE PROJECT OUTCOMES IF THERE
ARE SEX OR GENDER DIFFERENCES
FOUND FOR CLINICAL TRIALS.
BUT SHARON, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE
SPEAKING ABOUT OTHER STUDIES
WHERE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO
HAVE DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS FOR
THE PRIMARY OUTCOME FOR BASIC
SCIENCE STUDIES THAT ARE NOT
NECESSARILY POWERED TO DETECT
SEX DIFFERENCES WHICH COULD
PROVIDE US WITH VARIABILITY DATA
AND IMPORTANT POTENTIAL SIGNALS
THAT COULD BE PUT TOGETHER IN
META-ANALYSES OR OTHER
APPROACHES THAT WILL ALLOW US TO
SEE WHERE DO WE NEED TO INVEST
TO BE ABLE TO FUND STUDIES THAT
CAN BE POWERED TO LOOK AT
OUTCOMES IN EITHER SEX OR POWER
TO LOOK SPECIFICALLY FOR SEX
DIFFERENCES.
IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT
INFORMATION AVAILABLE, WE CAN'T
GENERATE THOSE -- WE CAN'T
GENERATE THOSE STUDY DESIGNS.
AND SO THAT'S A PUBLICATION
ISSUE AS WELL.
WE'RE PARTNERING WITH JOURNAL
EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS ALONG THE
WAY HERE, AND I WAS SO EXCITED
TO HEAR THAT THE WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION RECENTLY ADOPTED
THE SEX AND GENDER EQUITY IN
RESEARCH OR SAGER GUIDELINE.
MANY OTHER JOURNALS, AND NOW THE
INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF MEDICAL
JOURNAL EDITORS, ICMJE,
ENCOURAGES THE USE OF SEX AND
GENDER EQUITY AND RESEARCH
GUIDELINES.
SO IT IS AN ECOSYSTEM ISSUE.
WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
HIGHLIGHTING THAT OPPORTUNITY
FOR US.
>> RIGHT NOW IT REMAINS
VOLUNTARY, AND I'M WONDERING IF
IT -- YOU KNOW, IF IT COULD
BECOME REQUIRED AS PART OF THE
FINAL PROGRESS REPORT, BECAUSE
THERE, YOU KNOW, IF THEY SAY,
WELL, WE DIDN'T SHOW ANYTHING SO
WE'RE NOT GOING TO REPORT THAT
DATA, BUT IF IT'S REQUIRED, EVEN
IF UNDERPOWERED, EVEN IF THE
RESULTS GO IN A PERPLEXING
DIRECTION, THEN EVENTUALLY IF
YOU HAVE OVER TIME THIS HUGE
DATABASE FOR META-ANALYSIS, I
JUST THINK IT WOULD BE SO
VALUABLE.
SO YOU KNOW, I ALSO -- I'M IN
THE PUBLISHING WORLD AS WELL,
AND WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH THIS
IN OUR PUBLICATIONS BECAUSE IT
COMES WITH CONSEQUENCES FOR THAT
REPORTING, BUT I WAS WONDERING
IF BECAUSE NIH IS LEADING THE
WAY ON A VARIETY OF REPORTING BY
DIVERSITY, AND BY SEX, IT JUST
SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING WITH
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE COULD BE
AN INCREDIBLE RESOURCE.
>> THANKS, SHARON.
I'LL TAKE IT BACK TO THE NIH
SABV WORKING GROUP THAT
DR. SHARON HUNTER CO-CHAIRS AND
WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT AND SEE WHAT
MIGHT BE POSSIBLE.
I WANT TO KEEP YOU ON TIME, SO
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING
ME, DR. HODES AND DR. KELLEY.
>> JOHN WILL INTRODUCE OUR NEXT
SPEAKER.
>> WELL, I'M NOT SURE I NEED TO
DO ONE NOW.
THAT WAS A PERFECT SEGUE INTO
DAB'S RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT SPEAKER
WHO IS OBVIOUSLY DR. HOLLY
INGRAHAM, HERZSTEIN ENDOWED
PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR
PHARMACOLOGY AT UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO,
RECEIVED HER PH.D. AT UCSD, DID
A POSTDOC AT SALK.
FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW HER BY
NOW, I WOULD BROADLY DESCRIBE
HER AS A NEUROENDOCRINOLOGIST.
SHE HAS -- ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS
RECENT PROJECT HAS BLOWN UP THE
FIELD, SHE'S SPEAKING A LOT TO
BOTH NATIONALLY AND
INTERNATIONALLY, MORE THAN 115
PUBLICATIONS, VERY INVOLVED IN
WOMEN'S HEALTH AS YOU JUST
HEARD, AT MULTIPLE LEVELS, BOTH
WITHIN HER UNIVERSITY AND
NATIONALLY.
AND SO THE FINAL POINT THAT I
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS -- WELL,
BEYOND THE FACT THAT I COULD
KEEP GOING ON BUT I WOULD RATHER
LISTEN TO HER TALK, AND I THINK
THIS PROJECT IS SUCH A SEMINAL
OBSERVATION, IT WILL HAVE A
MASSIVE IMPACT IN THE BONE
FIELD, BUT THEY HAVE DATA THAT
SUGGESTS THAT IT WILL REACH
MULTIPLE ORGAN SYSTEMS.
AND SO I JUST THINK THIS IS SOME
OF THE COOLEST DATA I HAVE SEEN
IN A LONG TIME, AND SO IT'S MY
PLEASURE TO HAND IT OVER TO
DR. INGRAHAM.
>> WELL, THANK YOU.
I'M GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS
STORY.
I HAVE A FASCINATION IN TERMS OF
LOOKING AT THE BASIC MECHANISMS
OF SEX DIFFERENCES, BUT REALLY
AS THEY RELATE TO UNDERSTANDING
FEMALE PHYSIOLOGY, AND I WORK
BOTH IN THE BRAIN AND THE
GUT-BRAIN CONNECTION TO REALLY
TRY TO UNRAVEL BASIC MECHANISMS
THAT MIGHT IMPROVE HUMAN HEALTH.
AND THIS PROJECT WAS A FIVE-YEAR
PROJECT, AND I'LL JUST SAY THAT
I'M GOING TO BOW DOWN TO THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AGING
BECAUSE WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT, I
DON'T KNOW THAT THIS WOULD HAVE
GOTTEN OFF THE GROUND.
I WAS REJECTED FOUR TIMES FROM
NIAMS.
I REMINDED LINDSAY CRISWELL OF
THAT.
AND JOHN HAS BEEN AN AMAZING
PROGRAM OFFICER JUST
SCIENTIFICALLY AND WHAT A
CHEERLEADER.
SO LET ME JUST SAY, JUST
ITERATING WHAT JANINE HAS
ALREADY SAID, ONE OF THE
FASCINATIONS FOR LOOKING AT
FEMALES IS JUST EVEN AMONG ALL
SPECIES O, FEMALES LIVE LONGER.
THESE ARE JUST THE SIX MOST
PREVALENT DISEASES.
YOU CAN SEE THAT MALES SUCCUMB
AND HAVE MORTALITY VERSUS
FEMALES EXCEPT FOR ALZHEIMER'S
DISEASE.
BUT THERE'S THIS PARADOX BECAUSE
WE LIVE LONGER BUT WE SUFFER
FROM MORE CHRONIC DISEASES AND
WE SUFFER WHEN WE HAVE DISEASES,
THEY'RE MORE SEVERE THAN MEN.
ESPECIALLY IN THE SKELETAL AND
JOINT AREA AND THINGS LIKE
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND
OSTEOARTHRITIS.
SO THOSE AREAS ARE REALLY QUITE
DIFFERENT FOR FEMALES, AND WE
REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE
BASIC MECHANISMS BEHIND THAT.
SO I LOOK AT THE FEMALE
LIFECYCLE THROUGH ESTROGEN.
I THINK ESTROGEN IS REALLY THE
DRIVING FORCE FOR MOST OF THIS,
AND IT'S NOT RELATED TO SEX
CHROMOSOMES, PER SE, BUT REALLY
THE -- THIS IS REALLY A
HORMONE-DRIVEN PROCESS, AND
ESTROGEN IS THE MAIN HORMONE.
AND SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE
TWO PHASES FOR WOMEN, THERE'S
THE REPRODUCTIVE AND THE POST
REPRODUCTIVE PERIOD.
AND OF COURSE WITH THE
REPRODUCTIVE PERIOD COMES A HOST
OF HE FEMALE-SPECIFIC OR FEMALE
PREVALENT DISEASES.
THINGS LIKE IRRITABLE BOWEL
SYNDROME, POLYCYSTIC OVARY
SYNDROME, ENDOMETRIOSIS,
PREECLAMPSIA, AFFECTIVE
DISORDERS THAT ARE REALLY
PREVALENT RIGHT AROUND PUBERTY
THAT OCCUR IN FEMALES.
WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE BASIC
MECHANISMS BEHIND THESE
DISEASES, AND AS JANINE SAID,
IT'S NOT CLEAR THAT IF YOU
SUFFER FROM ENDOMETRIOSIS IN
THANDTHAT VISCERAL PAIN FOR SO ,
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES LATER
ON IN LIFE?
SO WE REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND
THAT.
I'M WORKING ON IBS AS IT RELATES
TO VISCERAL PAIN.
AND THEN AFTER MENOPAUSE, OF
COURSE, WE'VE HEARD ABOUT
COGNITIVE DISORDERS,
OSTEOPOROSIS, CARDIOVASCULAR
DISEASE, ET CETERA, AND I REMIND
PEOPLE THAT MENOPAUSE IS NOT
JUST A CHRONOLOGICAL AGE BUT CAN
BE PHARMACOLOGICALLY INDUCED IF
YOU'RE A BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR,
AND YOU'RE ON ANTI -- YOU'RE ON
AN AROMATASE INHIBITOR, SO
ANTIHORMONE THERAPY, YOU ARE
GOING TO INDUCE MENOPAUSE
PREMATURELY, AND YOU ARE WITH
PREMATURE OVARIAN FAILURE, OR IF
YOU DO ELECTIVE SURGERY AND YOU
HAVE YOUR OVARIES REMOVED
BECAUSE YOU'RE FOR INSTANCE A
BRCA, YOU CONTAIN A BRCA1 OR
2 MUTATION.
SO I AM DELIGHTED THAT THIS NEW
INITIATIVE HAS OCCURRED.
I'M WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE
FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES ARE,
WAITING TO SEE WHAT NOVEMBER
BRINGS US, BUT ALSO I AM ON THE
NA SEMI COMMITTEE TO THE
NATIONAL ACADEMIES COMMITTEE TO
ADDRESS THE SCIENTIFIC AND
FUNDING GAPS IN WOMEN'S HEALTH.
AND WE ARE FINISHING OUR REPORT.
IT SHOULD BE OUT IN JANUARY.
AND IT REALLY DOES HIGHLIGHT
MANY OF THE THINGS JANINE SAID
AND THE NEED TO PUT OUR HEADS
TOGETHER AND REALLY THINK ABOUT
HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS
HEALTH FOR 51% OF AMERICANS.
AS A BASIC SCIENTIST, I JUST
STARTED LOOKING AT THIS FROM
ESTROGEN.
SO I THINK ABOUT HOW ESTROGEN
WORKS.
I USED TO GO TO ALL THE NUCLEAR
HORMONE MEETINGS AND I WOULD
LISTEN TO STUDIES ON BREAST
CANCER, A LOT OF STUDIES ON
BREAST CANCER, AND I WONDERED
WHY THESE OTHER AREAS WEREN'T
BEING DISCUSSED, THINGS LIKE
ENDOMETRIOSIS, PCOS OR OTHER --
JUST OTHER PARTS OF THE BODY
THAT WERE RECEPTIVE TO ESTROGEN,
WHY AREN'T THEY ACTUALLY BEING
ADDRESSED?
SO YOU CAN LOOK AT THE FUNDING
LEVELS FOR BREAST CANCER, THIS
IS ACTIVE FUNDING FOR BREAST
CANCER, WHEN I JUST GO ON
REPORTER VERSUS SOME OF THESE
OTHER THINGS, AND OF COURSE
BECAUSE OF WHAT JANINE SAID, YOU
CAN'T REALLY EVEN FIND MENOPAUSE
BECAUSE THAT JUST CAME UP AS A
CATEGORY.
SO THAT IS PROBABLY AT WHAT I
LIKE TO SAY IS WOMEN'S HEALTH IS
WAY MORE THAN BREAST CANCER, AND
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO WE ALSO REALLY NEED TO
UNDERSTAND THE BASIC MECHANISMS.
I MEAN, I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF
EPIDEMIOLOGY STUDIES.
WE KNOW THERE'S A PROBLEM, WE
NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO AS BASIC
SCIENTISTS.
SO THE WAW, THE WAY, OF COURSE,M
LOOKING AT FEMALE PHYSIOLOGY IS
THROUGH THE LENS OF ESTROGEN.
AND WE'RE LOOKING IN THE BRAIN,
AND WE THINK THAT -- WE THINK
THAT FEMALE PHYSIOLOGY IS REALLY
POWERED BY ESTROGEN, AND SO I
WAS ONE OF THE FEW INDIVIDUALS
THAT SAID I'M GOING TO LOOK AT
FEMALES, I'M NOT GOING TO SHY
AWAY FROM THE PEAKS AND VALLEYS
OF HORMONE FLUCTUATIONS, WHICH
DROVE TONS OF INVESTIGATORS AWAY
FROM LOOKING AT FEMALES BECAUSE
THEY SIMPLY DIDN'T WANT TO DEAL
WITH THAT VARIATION IN HORMONE
FLUCTUATIONS.
SO 15 YEARS AGO, I DECIDED, HEY,
I'M GOING TO EMBRACE THE
FLUCTUATIONS AND TRY TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE
FLUCTUATIONS MEAN IN TERMS OF
FEMALE PHYSIOLOGY.
ASIDE FROM THE BREAST.
OKAY.
SO WE LOOK IN THE BRAIN, AND
WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AREA, THE
BASAL MEDIAL HYPOTHALAMUS, WHICH
IS JUST AT THE BASE OF THE BRAIN
IN THAT PINK CIRCLE.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE
LOOK AT THAT PART OF THE BRAIN
IS BECAUSE THAT IS REALLY THE
GATEKEEPER FOR MUCH OF OUR
HOMEOSTASIS.
SO IF WE THINK ABOUT ENERGY
BALANCE, INTAKE OF FOOD, SEXUAL
BEHAVIOR, REPRODUCTIVE
BEHAVIORS, SLEEP, ET CETERA,
THIS IS THE REGION OF THE BRAIN
THAT'S GOING TO CONTROL MOST OF
THOSE THINGS, AND THIS IS A
REGION OF THE BRAIN THAT'S GOING
TO GO OUT AND TALK TO THE
PERIPHERY AND TAKE SIGNALS UP
FROM THE PERIPHERY AND THEN SEND
SIGNALS DOWN TO THE PERIPHERY TO
MAINTAIN OUR HOMEOSTASIS.
SO IF WE LOOK AT THE ONE HEAR OF
THE BRAIN THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT,
WE ARE LOOKING AT THE AREA OF
THE BRAIN THAT'S ENRICHED IN
ESTROGEN RECEPTOR ALPHA.
THERE ARE THREE ESTROGEN
RECEPTORS, ER ALPHA OR ESTROGEN
RECEPTOR ALPHA IS REALLY THE
DOMINANT RECEPTOR IN THIS BRAIN
REGION.
AND I'M SHOWING HERE AN AMINO
HISTOCHEMISTRY, IT'S LIT UP IN
PINK.
YOU CAN SEE THERE'S TWO AREAS
THAT ARE HIGHLY ENRICHED IN
THIS -- IN ER ALPHA.
IT'S NOT IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE
NAMES, IT'S JUST THERE ARE THESE
TWO REGIONS THAT ARE HIGHLY
ENRICHED, AND SO WE STARTED
LOOKING AT THOSE REGIONS AND
LOOKING AT THE FUNCTION OF
ESTROGEN SIGNALING IN THOSE
REGIONS.
AND I'LL JUST SUMMARIZE WHAT
WE'VE FOUND AND THEN TELL YOU
ABOUT HOW THIS STORY DEVELOPED.
SO IN ONE AREA, THE VMHVL, WHAT
WE SHOWED IS THAT THIS -- ABOUT
200 NEURONS IN THIS REGION ARE
MOTIVATING SPONTANEOUS ACTIVITY
RIGHT BEFORE OVULATION.
WHY DO YOU WANT DO THAT?
BECAUSE YOU WANT TO RUN AROUND
AND PROBABLY FIND A MATE SO THAT
WE CAN HAVE SURVIVAL OF THE
SPECIES.
AND SO THIS AREA OF THE BRAIN IS
REALLY VERY ESTROGEN-RESPONSIVE,
AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT MOTIVATES
SPONTANEOUS ACTIVITY.
WE'RE HOPING TO USE THIS TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT EXERCISE MIGHT
BE DOING IN TERMS OF BRAIN
HEALTH.
THE OTHER AREA OF THE BRAIN IS
THE ARCHUIT NUCLEUS.
THE WAY WE FOUND THIS IS JUST
PURE LUCK.
WE WERE USING THIS REGION OF THE
BRAIN AS A CONTROL REGION FOR
THE VMH.
AND WHAT WE FOUND THAT JANINE
TALKED ABOUT IS THAT THIS --
THESE NEURONS IN THIS ONE REGION
OF THE BRAIN CONTROLLED BONE
DENSITY.
AND THIS IS THE PAPER THAT WE'VE
JUST PUBLISHED, AND WHEN WE
FIRST SET OUT TO DO THIS, WE
CALLED THIS BRAIN DERIVED
OSTEOANABOLIC HORMONE.
SO IT WAS JUST PURE LUCK THAT WE
FOUND THIS AND PURE LUCK THAT
OUR ECHO MRI MEN MINNESOTA WAS
BROKEN AND WE HAD TO USE DEXA SO
WE LEARNED ABOUT BONE.
THIS IS WHERE I'M GOING TO SAY
AS A BASIC SCIENTIST AND EVEN AS
A CLINICIAN, WE BECOME SILOED
INTO OUR OWN AREAS, AND AS A
NEUROENDOCRINOLOGIST, THE LAST
THING ON MY MIND WAS BONE, AND
ANOTHER THING, I DIDN'T KNOW A
LOT ABOUT BONE.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES
WHERE GETTING OUT OF YOUR RUT
REALLY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN
TERMS OF DISCOVERY.
SO THE WAY THIS WAS DISCOVERED
IS STEPHANIE CORREA, NOW
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT UCLA,
WENT IN AND SHE STEREO TAS
PARTICULARLY INJECTED CRE
RECOMBINASE, IT'S NOT IMPORTANT
THAT YOU KNOW THAT, BUT
BASICALLY WE WERE ABLE TO GET
RID OF ALL THE ESTROGEN
SIGNALING IN THAT PART OF THE
BRAIN.
SHE NOTICED THIS INCREASE IN
DEXA SO WE SENT IT OFF TO BONE
PEOPLE.
AGAIN, I'M NOT A BONE PERSON.
AND THIS IS A PHENOTYPE THAT WE
GOT WHEN WE DID THAT ANALYSIS.
I THOUGHT THAT LOOKS PRETTY
DENSE TO ME, THE BONE PEOPLE
CALLED ME UP AND THEY SAID WHAT
DID YOU DO TO GET THAT DENSE
BONE?
SO I HAD TO TELL THEM WHAT WE
DID, AND SO IT'S NOT ONLY DENSE
BUT IT'S VERY STRONG.
SO IF YOU DO A THREE-POINT
BENDING OR YOU TRY TO CRUSH THE
VERTEBRAE, IT'S VERY, VERY
STRONG.
IT'S NOT ONLY DENSE BUT IT
STRONG, WHICH IS WHAT YOU WANT.
AND I'LL JUST SUMMARIZE THE WORK
THAT WE PUBLISHED IN 2019.
REMEMBER THIS IS SOMEWHAT
PARADOXICAL.
WE'RE GETTING RID OF ESTROGEN
SIGNALING IN THE BRAIN.
AND THIS IS ONLY IN FEMALES.
SO WE ONLY SAW THIS PHENOTYPE IN
FEMALES.
HAD WE NOT LOOKED AT FEMALES, WE
WOULD HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS
PHENOTYPE.
AND IMPORTANTLY FOR
OSTEOPOROSIS, IT'S THE
TRABECULAR BONE THAT IS
AFFECTED, WHICH IS THE BONE THAT
GETS LOST DURING OSTEOPOROSIS OR
BONE LOSS DURING AGING.
AND WHAT CANDACE HERBER WHO WAS
FUNDED BY NIA SHOWED WAS IT'S
THESE KISS NEWER ONS
SPECIFICALLY IN THE ARCUATE.
THERE IS A LOT OF COMPLEXITY IN
THE BRAIN, AND WE NAILED IT DOWN
TO THESE ONE SETS OF NEURONS.
SO WE HAD A -- YOU KNOW, WE HAD
TO DECIDE, ARE WE GOING TO GO
AFTER THIS, ARE WE GOING TO
FIGURE OUT WHY THIS BONE IS
DENSE AND I SAID YES.
TRYING TO GET A GRANT WHEN
YOU'RE NOT A BONE PERSON IS, LET
ME JUST TELL YOU, THIS IS ONE OF
THE THINGS ABOUT NIH, IS MOVING
INTO A NEW FILED FIELD CAN BE E
CHALLENGING WITH RESPECT TO GET
FUNDING.
BUT I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THIS
WAS, I FIGURED IF WE FOUND THE
ANSWER, THIS COULD BE IMPORTANT.
SO WE STARTED OUT IN 2019 TO ASK
THAT QUESTION.
SO WE DID SOMETHING VERY
OLD-FASHIONED, IT'S PARABIOSIS.
THIS IS WHERE YOU STITCH MICE
TOGETHER AND THEN THEIR CIRCLE
CIRCULATION STARTS JOINING
TOGETHER.
THIS WAS USED TO IDENTIFY LEC
LECTIN, AND IS NOW BEING USED IN
THE AGING FIELD BY PEOPLE LIKE
SAUL VALLEJO WHO IS AT UCSF WHO
HELPED US DO THESE EXPERIMENTS.
SO I ASSUMED IT HAD TO BE
HUMORAL RATHER THAN NEURONAL
BECAUSE I COULDN'T SEE HOW
NEURONS COULD GET YOU THIS HIGH
BONE MASS PHENOTYPE.
SO WE DID THAT.
WE STITCHED THE CONTROLS
TOGETHER WITH THE MUTANT, AND
THEN DID IN VIVO SCANNING, AND
WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT WHEN YOU
TAKE A WILD TYPE AND YOU STITCH
IT WITH ONE OF THESE MUTANT
FEMALE MICE, THEIR BONE
INCREASES.
SO WE KNEW THAT WE PROBABLY HAD
A CIRCULATING FACTOR THAT WAS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS BONE
PHENOTYPE.
THEN WHAT WE DID IS I READ SOME
BEAUTIFUL PAPERS BY CHUCK CHAN
AND TOM AMBROSI WHERE THEY HAD
IDENTIFIED HUMAN AND MOUSE
SKELETAL STEM CELLS THAT WOULD
GIVE RISE TO BONE AND CARTILAGE,
AND I JUST HAVE TO CALL OUT THAT
CHUCK UNFORTUNATELY SUCCUMBED TO
LYMPHOMA IN MARCH.
HE WAS A REALLY BRILLIANT YOUNG
SCIENTIST.
TOM IS -- I'M WORKING WITH HIM
AS A COLLABORATOR.
HE'S A NEW PROFESSOR AT UC DAVIS
AND ALSO FUNDED BY NIA.
SO WHAT THEY -- WHAT WE ASKED
THEM TO DO WAS NOT ONLY LOOK AT
THIS BONE THAT WE HAD, THIS HIGH
BONE MASS PHENOTYPE, WE SHOWED
THERE'S INCREASED SKELETAL STEM
CELLS, BUT THEY COULD USE WILD
TYPE SKELETAL STEM CELLS THAT
ARE GOING TO BECOME BONE AND
CARTILAGE, AND THEN WE COULD
TAKE THOSE AND PUT THOSE IN
THESE MUTANT MICE AND ASKED DO
YOU GET MORE BONE IF YOU PUT
THEM INTO THE KIDNEY?
BUT THIS IS PROBABLY THE COOLEST
PAIRMT, MY HUSBAND CALLS IT THE
BONEHEAD EXPERIMENT.
YOU TAKE THESE WILD-TYPE
SKELETAL STEM CELLS AND WE
ACTUALLY DELIVER THEM INTO THE
HYPOTHALAMUS AS SHOWN HERE, AND
THEN YOU WAIT ABOUT SIX WEEKS,
AND WHAT YOU SEE IF YOU PUT WILD
TYPE SKELETAL STEM CELLS INTO
THE MUTANT MOUSE FEMALE, YOU SEE
THESE OSSICLES FORMING IN THE
BRAIN.
HOW COOL IS THAT?
SO THIS IS A VERY POWERFUL
FACTOR THAT IS CIRCULATING
AROUND IN THESE MUTANT MICE.
SO NOW THIS IS WHERE I'M GOING
TO SAY WE HIT THE -- THIS WAS
THE DARK PERIOD.
ALSO COINCIDED WITH COVID.
IN PART BECAUSE WE KNEW WE HAD
SOMETHING, WE HAD A FACTOR, HOW
ARE WE GOING TO FIND IT?
THIS IS WHERE, YOU KNOW, ONE HAS
TO OVERCOME DOGMA, AND ONE HAS
TO THINK ABOUT ONE'S OWN
SCIENTIFIC ASSUMPTIONS.
SO ONE OF THE THING T THINGS THE
STRUCK WITH IS THIS IS A
CIRCULATING FACTOR.
WHAT IS THE IDENTITY?
IS IT A LIPID, IS IT A PROTEIN,
IS IT A SMALL MOLECULE
METABOLITE THAT'S DOING THIS?
REALLY ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
AND WHAT IS THE SOURCE?
IS IT COMING FROM THE BRAIN OR
IS IT COMING FROM ANOTHER
TARGET, IS THERE AN INDIRECT
MECHANISM LIKE THE PITUITARY OR
THE LIVER, WHICH ARE THE ORGANS
THAT I THINK ABOUT.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE
WERE -- I SAID WE'RE JUST GOING
TO DO SHOTGUN PROTEOMICS, WE'RE
GOING TO FIND THIS, NO PROBLEM,
WE'LL BE DONE.
I TOLD JOHN WE'LL BE DONE.
NO.
I CALLED EVERY -- ALMOST EVERY
MASS SPEC FACILITY I COULD THINK
ABOUT IN BOSTON AND EVERYWHERE.
AND THEY SAID NO, THIS IS -- NO,
NO, IT'S NOT HAPPENING.
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT'S DIFFERENT IN THE MUTANT
VERSUS THE CONTROL BLOOD.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE IT REALLY
DIDN'T DAWN ON ME UNTIL I
FIGURED WHY -- WHY ARE THEY
TELLING ME NO?
IT'S BECAUSE IN THE BLOOD, THE
RANGE OF ABUNDANCE IN THE BLOOD
IS JUST HUGE.
IT GOES FROM THINGS THAT ARE
VERY, VERY ABUNDANT TO NOT
ABUNDANT AT ALL, AND MORE
IMPORTANTLY, 22 PROTEINS MAKE UP
ABOUT 99% OF THE MASS OF BLOOD.
SO THAT'S LEAVING 2,000 OF YOUR
PREDICTED SECRETED PROTEINS TO
BE THAT 1%.
SO HOW ARE YOU GOING TO FIND
THEM WITHOUT A HOOK?
YOU NEED AN ANTIBODY.
YOU NEED AN ELISA, AND
UNFORTUNATELY THE O LINK
PLATFORMS OR SOME OF THESE NEWER
PROTEOMIC PLATFORMS ARE NOT
AVAILABLE FOR MICE.
BUT IT REALLY DOES SPEAK TO THE
CHALLENGES OF FINDING A
BIOMARKER.
IN BLOOD.
SO AND THE OTHER PROBLEM THAT I
HAD IS THAT I THOUGHT -- I WAS
CONVINCED THIS HAD TO BE A
NEUROPEPTIDE, WRONG, AND IT HAD
TO BE COMING FROM THE PITUITARY
BECAUSE GUILLEMAN IN THE NOBEL
PRIZE WORK TOLD ME THAT A SOURCE
HAD TO BE COPPING FROM A SIGNAL
FROM THE HYPOTHALAMUS HAD TO GO
DOWN TO THE PITUITARY AND THAT
WOULD RELEASE THE FACTOR.
SO THIS HYPOPHYSIOPORTAL SYSTEM
WAS IN MY MIND AND I THOUGHT IT
HAD TO BE FROM THE PITUITARY AND
I WAS WRONG.
SO THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE
FOR US.
WE TRIED MANY, MANY THINGS.
WE TRIED DEVELOPING AN ASSAY.
I'M TRAINED AS A BIOCHEMIST.
WE TRIED A LOT OF STUFF.
AND THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE
TO US FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS,
EVEN THOUGH I WAS SENDING HIM
PROGRESS REPORTS, BUT -- AND
THEN MURIEL BABEY CAME ALONG,
SHE IS AN ADULT ENDOCRINOLOGIST
AND SHE SAID, WELL, I THINK I'LL
PUT THESE MICE ON A HIGH FAT
DIET.
I SAID GO AHEAD, IT'S CHEAPER
THAN SINGLE CELL SEQ.
SO DO IT.
AND SHE DID, AND THAT WAS WHEN
SOME LIGHT OPENED UP IN THIS
PROJECT.
AND SO WHEN SHE DID THAT, IT'S
NOT IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW
WHAT THIS MEANS, IT'S JUST
IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO SEE THE
DIFFERENCE IN OUR MUTANT MICE,
WHICH IS OVER ON YOUR RIGHT
SIDE, YOU CAN SEE WHAT HAPPENS
ON STANDARD DIET WITH ALL THAT
LABELING, WHICH MEANS THERE'S A
LOT OF BONE FORMATION, AND ON A
HIGH FAT DIET, IT COMPLETELY
DISAPPEARS.
THAT'S JUST SHOWN HERE THAT THE
BONE DISAPPEARS ON A HIGH FAT
DIET.
I WAS SURPRISED, BUT I SAID NOW
WE CAN DO SOMETHING.
SO WE BEGAN PROFILING ALL THE
TISSUES THAT I THINK OF, THE
PITUITARY, THE LIVER, BONE, AND
FINALLY, THE ARC, THE ARCUATE
NUCLEUS AND HYPOTHALAMUS, AND
THAT'S WHERE WE FOUND OUR
ANSWER.
SO THIS IS JUST A HEAT MAP HERE
SHOWING ALL THE GENES THAT ARE
UP IN RED WITH STANDARD DIET AND
THE ONES THAT GO DOWN WITH HIGH
FAT DIET.
SO THERE'S THIS CLUSTER RIGHT
HERE.
AND OF THAT CLUSTER, ONLY TWO
MET OUR -- WHAT WE CONSIDERED TO
BE REALLY POTENTIAL CANDIDATES
BECAUSE THEY CAME ON WHEN THE
BONE PHENOTYPE CAME ON.
ONE WAS CCN3 AND THE OTHER WAS
PRO ENKEF LON, WHICH ENCODES
NEUROPEPTIDES LIKE MET AND
KEFLEN AND OTHER THINGS.
SO IT WAS NOT THE NEUROPEPTIDE
THAT WENT OUT, IT WAS THIS
PROTEIN CCN3.
AND I'LL JUST SHOW THE DATA
HERE, I MEAN, WE HAVE LOTS OF
OTHER DATA, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT
THE -- HERE'S -- THIS IS AN RNA
SCOPE.
IT'S LOOKING AT THE TRANSCRIPT
OF DIFFERENT TRANSCRIPTS IN THE
ARCUATE NUCLEUS.
YOU CAN SEE THE ESTROGEN
RECEPTORS IN BLUE, KISS1 IS IN
RED, AND WHEN WE KNOCK OUT EER
ALPHA, SO THERE'S NO BLUE, ALL
OF A SUDDEN SSN3 COMES ON, AND
IT COMES ON IN THE RIGHT
NEURONS.
SO THAT WAS GREAT, BUT WE NEEDED
TO SHOW LOSS OF FUNCTION AND
GAIN OF FUNCTION.
LET ME JUST TELL YOU WHAT
CCN3 IS.
IT'S NOT SUPER IMPORTANT THAT
YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT IT, BUT --
BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT KNOWN
ABOUT THESE PROTEINS.
THERE'S SIX MEMBERS.
THEY HAD BEEN IMPLICATED IN BONE
BUT NOT REALLY IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION.
THEIR STRUCTURE LOOKS SOMETHING
LIKE THIS.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
RECEPTORS ARE FOR THESE.
AS I TALK TO SOME OF OUR
STRUCTURAL BIOLOGISTS AT UCSF, I
SAID WHY DON'T WE HAVE
STRUCTURES?
AND HE SAID BECAUSE NOBODY'S
GIVEN US A REASON TO GET A
STRUCTURE.
SO HOPEFULLY NOW WE'LL GET A
STRUCTURE.
SO THIS IS WHAT THE PROTEIN
LOOKS LIKE.
AND WE DID THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING HERE, WHICH IS WE DID A
GAIN OF FUNCTION EXPERIMENT.
I'M OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW ALL OF
THE OTHER MELT DOWNS OF
DIFFERENT HORMONES IN THE FIELD,
AND SO WE HAD TO DO OUR DUE
DILIGENCE OF LOSS OF
FUNCTION/GAIN OF FUNCTION
EXPERIMENTS.
SO HERE WHAT WE'RE DOING IS
WE'RE EXPRESSING CCN3 IN THE
LIVER.
YOUR LIVER SECRETES 60% OF YOUR
PROTEINS.
THIS IS A GREAT SORT OF BAG OF
CELL TO GET PROTEIN SECRETED OUT
TO THE BLOOD, AND THAT'S WHAT WE
DID.
SO WE DID A VIRAL TRANSDUCTION
TO GET CCN3673 EXPRESSED.
IT'S SHOWN THERE IN GREEN.
SO WHEN WE DO THAT, WE GET
INCREASED BONE VOLUME, INCREASED
BONE STRENGTH, INCREASED BONE
FORMATION, ALL IN FIVE WEEKS
AFTER WE TRANSDUCED THE LIVER.
SO THIS IS A VERY ROBUST
RESPONSE.
THIS JUST SHOWS IN AN AGED MOUSE
HOW MUCH WE CAN INCREASE THEIR
BONE MASS BY ABOUT 100%.
SO IT'S REALLY QUITE -- WE'RE
ONLY DOING THIS NINE WEEKS AFTER
WE INFECT IT, SO THIS IS A VERY
POTENT FACTOR.
THEN PERHAPS THE MOST
FASCINATING DATA TO ME, ALL THIS
OTHER STUFF WAS GREAT.
I DIDN'T START SLEEPING UNTIL I
GOT THESE DATA.
AND THAT'S -- THIS WAS DONE WITH
TOM AND THE PEOPLE UP AT UC
DAVIS WHERE THEY LOOK AT
FRACTURE REPAIR.
SO THEY'RE TAKING -- THEY'RE
BREAKING THE BONES, THEY'RE
PUTTING A PIN IN IT AND THEY'RE
LOOKING AT THIS REPAIR PROCESS.
WHEN YOU DO THAT AND YOU PUT
CCN3 IN A SLOW RELEASE GEL INTO
THIS FRACTURE REPAIR, YOU CAN
SEE THAT FRACTURE REPAIR, THESE
ARE 24 MONTHS OLD MICE FROM NIA,
MALE MICE, OKAY, SO THIS WORKS
IN BOTH SEXES AND THIS IS REPAIR
IN A MALE MOUSE, VERY OLD MALE
MICE.
AND THIS ESSENTIALLY REVERSES
THE AGING REPAIR PROCESS.
IT LOOKS REALLY LIKE A 2 MONTH
OLD.
SO NOW OF COURSE WITH THIS IN
HAND, WE -- YOU KNOW, CAN THIS
IMPROVE LOSS OF BONE IN A
VARIETY OF SITUATIONS, BUT IN
THINGS LIKE HIP FRACTURE,
PERHAPS DENTAL IMPLANTS WHEN THE
BONE DEGRADES.
SO WE ARE NOW TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT IF WE CAN DO THAT AND TRYING
TO FIND THE RECEPTOR FOR THIS.
AND I GET THESE EMAILS ALMOST
EVERY WEEK FROM A WOMAN SAYING I
AM DESPERATE TO BE IN YOUR
CLINICAL TRIAL.
AND OF COURSE THAT'S COMING, BUT
THESE -- I JUST -- THERE'S SO
MANY WOMEN THAT REALLY NEED AN
ALTERNATIVE TO INCREASE THEIR
BONE LOSS AND PREVENT BONE LOSS
AND INCREASE THEIR BONE MASS SO
THAT THEY CAN LIVE A HEALTHY
LIFE.
OKAY.
SO THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS
THAT WHY IS THIS RELEVANT?
HOW IS THIS -- WE HAD THIS SORT
OF FRANKENSTEIN MUTANT MOUSE,
BUT TH IS THIS REALLY RELEVANT O
REAL PHYSIOLOGY?
SO WE GLAN LOO BEGAN LOOKING ATE
DIFFERENT PHASES OF THE FEMALE
LIFECYCLE, AND WE'RE CONVINCED
THAT IF THIS THING WERE
IMPORTANT, IT WOULD COME ON
AFTER WEANING, SO AFTER
LACTATION.
SO WE JUST LOOKED, BILL KRAUSE
DID THIS.
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS JUST A
SEA OF PINK BECAUSE THERE'S NO
GREEN CCN3 THERE DURING ALL
THESE PHASES IN THE FEMALE.
THE STAGES FOR FEMALE INCLUDING
RIGHT AFTER BIRTH, AND THEN WE
GET THESE DATA SHOWING THAT CCN.
SO THIS IS -- I SAY I'VE BEEN
DOING THIS A LONG TIME, YOU GET
DATA LIKE THIS ONCE EVERY 10
YEARS.
REALLY, THIS IS LIKE ALL OF A
SUDDEN THIS MADE SENSE TO ME.
SO JUST TO REALLY BRING HOME THE
POINT, WE WENT IN AND GOT RID OF
CCN3 IN THE BRAIN BEFORE MICE
GOT PREGNANT, THEY GET PREGNANT,
THEY HAVE NORMAL LITTER SIZE,
THEY LOSE BONE WHEN YOU GET RID
OF THIS BRAIN CCN3, AND
IMPORTANTLY, WHEN YOU PUT THEM
ON A LOW CALCIUM DIET, THEY CAN
NO LONGER SUSTAIN THEIR PROGENY.
OKAY.
SO LET ME JUST GO THROUGH WHY
THIS IS OCCURRING IN LACTATION.
AND WHY IT MIGHT BE IMPORTANT.
SO DURING LACTATION, YOU ARE
LOSING BONE.
RODENTS LOSE UP TO 30% OF THEIR
BONE DURING LACTATION.
HUMANS LOSE ABOUT 10%.
IT IS THE TRABECULAR BONE THAT
IS TARGETED.
AND THIS IS ALL OCCURRING WHEN
ESTROGEN HAS PLUMMETED.
AND YET, THERE WERE STUDIES FROM
20 YEARS AGO THAT SHOWED DURING
LACTATION, THERE'S BONE
REMODELING AND BONE FORMATION
GOING ON.
SO WHAT IS HAPPENING, OR A
HYPOTHESIS IS THAT YOU RESORB
BONE BY THIS HORMONE THAT'S MADE
IN THE MAMMARY GLAND, PTHRP,
THAT CAUSES BONE RESORPTION, AND
BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO ESTROGEN,
YOU CAN'T BUILD THAT UP AGAIN SO
THE BRAIN TAKES OVER AND BEGINS
RELEASING CCN3 SO THAT YOU HAVE
ENOUGH BONE SO THAT YOU CAN
STRIP IT OFF FOR MILK.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHY THIS COMES
ON IN THE FEMALE BRAIN ONLY
DURING LACTATION.
WE CANNOT FIND IT IN MALES AT
ANY POINT AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN
ABLE TO FIND IT IN FEMALES
EXCEPT FOR LACTATION.
SO THIS IS MOTHER NATURE, THIS
IS EVOLUTION WORKING SO LET'S
FIGURE OUT HOW TO SOLVE THIS
PROBLEM SO THAT WE CAN SUSTAIN
PROGENY.
SO THAT'S REALLY THE STORY, AND
WE WOULDN'T HAVE FOUND IT HAD IT
NOT BEEN FOR NATIO NATIONAL INSE
OF AGING, WE WOULDN'T HAVE FOUND
IF WE HAD NOT LOOKED FOR -- IN
FEMALES.
SO THOSE ARE MY TWO TAKE-HOME
MESSAGES TO YOU, THAT IT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT TO LOOK
BROADLY, GET OUT OF YOUR RUTS,
AND LOOK ELSEWHERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF CONNECTION
GOING THROUGH THE BRAIN BODY
THAT WE HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT YET,
AND I'M THINKING THERE'S MANY
MORE HORMONES THAT ARE GOING TO
BE RELEASED FROM NEURONS THAT
ARE GOING TO DICTATE HOMEOSTASIS
IN OUR BODY.
SO I'LL JUST SHOW THE PEOPLE OF
COURSE THAT DID THIS, I'VE
ALREADY TALKED ABOUT BILL, MEUR
MURIAL, ZSOFI, CANDICE WERE THE
MAIN DRIVERS ALONG WITH TOM AMBR
OSM SI AND OF COURSE THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AGING.
REALLY SUPPORTED MOST OF THIS
WORK.
SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT
FANTASTIC STORY.
QUESTIONS?
YES.
SO NEXT STEP, WHAT ARE YOUR NEXT
EXPERIMENTS?
>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS IS
BEING ABLE TO DETECT THIS, SO
WE'RE PLAYING AROUND WITH, YOU
KNOW, DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTS,
FIGURING OUT WHAT'S REQUIRED IN
THAT CCN3 PROTEIN TO BE ACTIVE,
WHAT IS THE RECEPTOR.
THAT'S REALLY -- YOU KNOW, WE
NEED TO FIND THE RECEPTOR.
AND PROBABLY FROM A BASIC
SCIENCE POINT OF VIEW IS, WHY
DOES THIS THING GET -- HOW DOES
IT GET TURNED ON DURING
LACTATION AND IN THOSE NEURONS.
SO THAT'S -- THAT'S THE NEXT
STEP.
AND I'M WORKING WITH A COMPANY,
FOUNDER ON A COMPANY THAT WE ARE
GOING TO TRY TO TRANSLATE THIS.
>> I HAD A QUESTION, IT LOOKED
LIKE IT WAS ATTACHED TO AN IGF
BINDING PROTEIN, SO DO YOU THINK
THERE'S SOME INTERACTION WITH
GROWTH HORMONE IN -- OR IS IT --
DOES IT INTERACT?
>> YOU KNOW, IT'S FOUR DIFFERENT
DOMAINS, AND I THINK THAT'S BEEN
PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE
LOOKING AT THIS PROTEIN.
THEY LOOK AT ALL THOSE DIFFERENT
DOMAINS AND THINK THAT EACH ONE
OF THEM COMBINE CAN BIND TO A T
RECEPTOR.
THAT'S A TWO-DIMENSIONAL VIEW OF
THE PROTEIN.
A THREE-DIMENSION UNTIL VIEW MAY
SAY THAT IT GETS FOLDED, IT HAS
THESE IMMUNOGLOBULIN DOMAINS AND
PROBABLY BINDS A DISCRETE SET OF
RECEPTORS.
SO THAT'S OUR THINKING RIGHT
NOW.
>> SO YOU HAD SAID IT ONLY COMES
ON DURING LACTATION.
HAVE YOU EVER TRIED IN ANY MODEL
SYSTEM TO EITHER KNOCK IT DOWN
OR OVEREXPRESS IT IN AN OLDER
TYPE OF A MODEL WHERE YOU MIGHT
HAVE OSTEOARTHRITIS MODEL OR
SOME KIND OF BONE ROW SORPTION
RESORPTIONMODEL TO SEE IF YOU CE
IT?
AND THAT WOULD SORT OF BE A
TRANSLATIONAL BRIDGE TOWARDS --
>> NO, I DIDN'T MAKE THAT CLEAR,
SO WE HAVE DONE THAT IN MICE
WHERE WE'VE TA TAKEN OUT THEIR
OVARIES AND YOUR BONE REALLY
DEGRADES THEN, OR THOSE OLDER
FEMALES AS WELL.
SO WE HAVEN'T GONE OUT TO 24
MONTHS YET, BUT THE OVX, YOU SEE
NOT A NICE INCREASE IN BONE.
SO WE DO THINK THERE'S GOING TO
BE TRANSLATIONAL.
I THINK THE FRACTIONAL REPAIR
SAYS THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT
OF TRANSLATIONAL PROMISE.
>> IN TERMS OF TARGETING THE
BONE, DO YOU THINK IT'S -- I
KNOW THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO FIND
A RECEPTOR, BUT DO YOU THINK
IT'S MORE ON THE OSTEOCLASS SIDE
OR THE OSTEOLAST?
I WOULD SPECULATE MAYBE IN
THE --
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
OF COURSE I COULDN'T SHOW ALL
THAT DATA.
WE'VE PRETTY MUCH SHOWN THAT
THIS REALLY IS BONE FORMATION
AFFECTING OSTEOBLASTS AND NOT
AFFECTING OSTEOCLASTS.
OSTEOCLASTS COME ALONG FOR THE
RIDE, AS WE'RE INCREASING BONE
FORMATION, BUT WE HAVE NO
EVIDENCE THAT WE'RE AFFECTING
OSTEOCLASTS.
>> JUST FOR THE NON-BONE HEADS,
I'M A BONE HEAD FROM WAY BACK, I
GO BACK TO THE EARLY 90s, THE
NOTION THAT THE OSTEOCYTE IN
BONE COULD ACTUALLY DEGRADE BONE
TO MOBILIZE CALCIUM FOR
LACTATION HAS ONLY BEEN
DESCRIBED 12 YEARS AGO.
AND SO THAT WAS LINDA'S GROUP
THAT DESCRIBED IT.
AND THE FACT THAT WE NOW HAVE
THIS HORMONE THAT IS DRIVING
THAT IS JUST PHENOMENAL
PROGRESS.
IT REALLY IS.
IT JUST TAKES MY BREATH AWAY.
>> SEE, HE APPRECIATES IT MORE
THAN I DO, BECAUSE HE KNOWS
ABOUT BONE.
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU
FOR ALL YOUR WORK, AND FOR THE
POINT WHERE YOU SAID YOU MADE A
DECISION TO STUDY FEMALE
PHYSIOLOGY, WHICH IS THE
PRECURSOR TO ALL OF THIS, THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'VE
DONE, AND THANK YOU TO RICHARD
AND NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING
FOR SUPPORTING THAT WORK.
>> THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
I WISH I COULD SAY WE
ORCHESTRATED THESE TWO TALKS
INTENTIONALLY, BUT SOMETIMES
SERENDIPITY WORKS AND THIS IS
ONE OF THOSE CASES.
PHENOMENAL AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR THE
PRESENTATIONS, PARTICIPATION,
AND -- GOT IT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THIS CONCLUDES OUR MEETING.