# The Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC) at Northwestern University

> **NIH NIH P30** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $1,419,546

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
We propose an Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC) at Northwestern University. Its mission will be to:
Generate innovative research that will enhance primary care for medically complex, older adults with
multiple chronic conditions (MCC) to achieve optimal health, function, independence and quality of life.
The Northwestern OAIC will catalyze research on: i) identifying modifiable clinical, healthcare system, and
social environmental determinants of chronic disease outcomes, physical and mental health, and quality of life
for older adults with MCC - especially those with frailty; ii) developing novel, practical, and scalable primary care
management strategies that align with patient priorities, improve health outcomes and maintain independence
for this vulnerable, at-risk, older adult population. The specific aims of the Northwestern OAIC are to:
Aim 1 Formalize a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, aging research program dedicated to improving
 healthcare, functional independence, and quality of life for older adults with MCC.
Aim 2 Expand Northwestern training and mentoring activities to develop future leaders in geriatrics and aging
 research who will transform healthcare to meet the needs of older adults with MCC.
Aim 3 Stimulate applied research on the innovative design of primary care models that align with the priorities
 of older adults with MCC through aging-specific research resources and expertise in healthcare system
 & technology design (`Design Core'), patient-reported outcomes measurement (`Measurement Core')
 and quantitative & qualitative data analytics (`Analytics Core').
With strong institutional support and established infrastructure, we will organize internationally-recognized aging
research faculty at Northwestern and establish a formal presence as a collaborative center on aging. Junior
faculty with aging and MCC-related research interests will participate as mentored scientists; our OAIC will help
them establish a successful career trajectory as independent investigators. Three essential Resource Cores
(Design, Measurement, Analytics) will generate new methodological approaches for addressing MCC in primary
care and facilitate designing and testing health system interventions via pilot and developmental projects, and
through the use of an extensive portfolio of ongoing external studies. An Information Dissemination Core will
leverage broad regional and national primary care networks to share findings, proactively seek collaborations,
and find economies of scale in research and training activities among other OAICs and NIA centers.
The Northwestern OAIC will introduce a timely and highly complementary area of focus, while bringing
the greater Chicago community and Illinois into the national Pepper Center network.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10220719
- **Project number:** 5P30AG059988-02
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jeffrey A. Linder
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $1,419,546
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-08-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10220719

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10220719, The Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC) at Northwestern University (5P30AG059988-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10220719. Licensed CC0.

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