# The University of Florida Jacksonville Aging Studies Center (JAX-ASCENT)

> **NIH NIH R33** · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · 2021 · $700,875

## Abstract

Summary
Older adults of racial minorities and low socioeconomic (SES) status represent particularly high risk
populations who are underserved and are significantly underrepresented in clinical research. This has led to a
gap in knowledge regarding the appropriate and/or optimal prevention and treatment approaches for this high
risk group. Within the state of Florida, the city of Jacksonville (JAX) has a high proportion of minority and low
SES individuals. By expanding existing research collaborations on both aging and health disparities at its JAX
site, the University of Florida (UF) has a unique opportunity to conduct important research that can reduce this
knowledge gap. These existing relationships include partnership in conducting multi-center NIH-funded clinical
trials, along with several community outreach efforts both at UF Gainesville (GNV) and JAX. However, there is
currently no cohesive, organized resource to integrate these important research collaborations in aging and
health disparities at UF-JAX. At the UF GNV campus, we have a strong clinical translational research
infrastructure with the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, Clinical Translational Science
Institute and Disparities Research. In JAX, UF has a large health care facility in a densely populated minority
and low SES area, but limited research infrastructure focused on aging research. To fully actualize the
potential of this remarkable resource, we propose to develop a dedicated center for aging research focused on
racial minorities and low SES older adults. This state-of-the-art clinical translational research facility for
multidisciplinary research Jacksonville Aging Studies CENTer (JAX-ASCENT) will closely partner with the UF
GNV campus and capitalize on our expertise and resources. Additionally, JAX-ASCENT will create an
integrative physical and intellectual environment in which trainees at all levels and scientists from diverse
disciplines can interact and conduct clinical and behavioral translational research on aging and independence
of older adults. This focus will be pursued using an interdisciplinary approach that traverses a broad spectrum
of biomedical investigation, including clinical research, behavioral sciences, social sciences, epidemiology,
biostatistics, and health services, while implementing rigor and transparency in research. We will develop and
partner regarding expertise on clinical trials, recruitment, adherence, retention, assessment of geriatric
outcomes, biomarkers, and behavioral studies all focused and tailored on research in urban minorities and low
SES older adults. We will apply a conceptual/logic model of community-based participatory research
partnerships to improve community involvement and health outcomes, and to build a research participants
registry. We will develop the physical and human infrastructure, mentor junior faculty towards leadership roles,
and have JAX-ASCENT become self-sustaining. JAX-ASCENT will expand...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10212912
- **Project number:** 5R33AG056540-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
- **Principal Investigator:** Stephen D Anton
- **Activity code:** R33 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $700,875
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-15 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10212912

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10212912, The University of Florida Jacksonville Aging Studies Center (JAX-ASCENT) (5R33AG056540-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10212912. Licensed CC0.

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