# Research Centers Collaborative Network Renewal

> **NIH NIH U24** · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2022 · $997,280

## Abstract

The problems of an aging society transcend the boundaries of any specific discipline and play
out across multiple biologic and societal domains. The six National Institute on Aging center
programs address these problems but typically from a specific disciplinary perspective. To
provide a mechanism to foster cross-disciplinary collaborations the Research Centers
Collaborative Network (RCCN) was established in 2008. It is led by the American Federation
for Aging Research and the Wake Forest School of Medicine. The RCCN addresses the
challenge of building multidisciplinary collaborations by employing 5 complementary strategies:
1) identifying intellectual opportunities that are best advanced by inter-center collaboration; 2)
stimulating the development of cross-center collaborations; 3) providing new opportunities for
early career researchers to expand their multidisciplinary collaborative network; and 4)
leveraging RCCN activities to bring additional resources to multidisciplinary aging research. Its
first two years were highly successful. In a highly praised workshop series, it brought together
key thought leaders from each of the 6 NIA center programs, offered didactic programs for early
career researchers, established a Webinar series, worked with NIA center coordinating centers
to coordinate activities and promote dissemination, and worked with the CTSA’s Inclusion of
Older Adults workgroup to increase recruitment of older adults to clinical research among other
achievements. Its goals going forward build on these achievements and introduce important
innovations and refinements. The RCCN’s specific aims for the next cycle are to: 1. Stimulate
cross-center collaboration through: a) Workshops focused on cross-cutting scientific themes
each relevant to 4 or more center programs; and b) Pilot grants supporting the initiation of
cross-center collaborations. 2. Provide educational opportunities for early career investigators
to build competencies in multidisciplinary and cross-institutional research. 3. Work with NIA
Center program coordinating centers and other NIA supported research networks to: a)
disseminate cutting edge multidisciplinary science; b) foster connections between the 6 NIA
center programs and other NIA-supported research networks; and c) develop tools, standards
and guidelines to promote multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional research. 4. Expand its
impact through fostering applications to foundations, the CTSA program and other potential
sponsors whose interests align with NIA Center programs. The RCCN employs multiple
evaluation strategies designed to strengthen and adapt its programs and to gauge its impact in
fostering multidisciplinary approaches to solving the problems facing older adults.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10407599
- **Project number:** 5U24AG058556-05
- **Recipient organization:** WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** STEPHEN B. KRITCHEVSKY
- **Activity code:** U24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $997,280
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-04-01 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10407599

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10407599, Research Centers Collaborative Network Renewal (5U24AG058556-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10407599. Licensed CC0.

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