# Frontiers in Alzheimer's and Aging Research (FrA2R)

> **NIH NIH R25** · MAGEE-WOMEN'S RES INST AND FOUNDATION · 2022 · $371,029

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
This request, responsive to PAR-17-290, seeks to renew NIA sponsorship for our R25 award entitled
“Frontiers in Alzheimer’s and Aging Research (FrA2R: R25 AG043365-05),” within NIA’s “Advancing
Diversity in Aging Research through Undergraduate Education” program. Designed for competitive advanced
undergraduate students, especially under-represented minorities (URMs), FrA2R provides innovative,
sophisticated research education in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) and aging
mechanisms. To ensure that the next generation of Alzheimer’s and aging researchers have advanced training
opportunities, we offer the FrA2R course at Morehouse School of Medicine (2019, 2021, 2023) and Xavier
University of Louisiana (2020 and 2022). In so doing, we will continue to enhance and expand the research
careers of the most promising scientists, with sensitivity to ensuring full diversity in the NIA workforce.
Importantly, the ADRD and aging fields continue to grow swiftly, yet there are too few laboratories led by URM
scientists and too few new URM trainees. FrA2R is under the directorship of Gerald Schatten, PhD, from
Pittsburgh, along with S. Michal Jazwinski, PhD, from Tulane and Laura Niedernhofer, MD, PhD, from Scripps,
as Co-Is, together with Training/Mentoring Coordinators Harris McFerrin, PhD, from Xavier, Calvin Simerly,
PhD, from Pitt, and Winston Thompson, PhD, from Morehouse; together they comprise the Executive
Committee. It is overseen by a scientific advisory board composed of ADRD and aging-research luminaries.
FrA2R offers dynamic advanced training courses consisting of daily lectures and extended discussion on
emerging concepts, followed by laboratory research and technologically intense workshops and informal
seminars over week-long periods (first renewal offering May 12-18, 2019 at Morehouse). This advanced
instruction provides “hands-on” training for 16 highly competitive participants (the ratio of applicant inquiries to
accepted candidates is >4.3:1) on Alzheimer’s root causes and mechanisms of aging. After the course,
frequent interactions are maintained with each trainee. Of the 80 trainees, 39% identify as African-American
and 19% as Hispanic-American; 70% are women, and 44% are from URM institutions. Early results show that
they are progressing in Alzheimer’s and aging-research careers, as MDs, MD-PhDs, or PhDs. The five aims
are to: I. Provide conceptual education and laboratory training in the sophisticated methods and emerging
discoveries on Alzheimer’s and aging mechanisms, especially as relevant for our African-American
communities. II. Demystify the regulatory oversight requirements by training in responsible conduct of
research, the ethical, legal and societal implications, and especially problems of diversity and health
disparities. III. Support mentored pilot research projects; IV. Encourage trainees’ and alumni’s longer-term
career planning; V. Evaluate, improve and monitor FrA2R’s strengths and avoid ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10441312
- **Project number:** 5R25AG043365-10
- **Recipient organization:** MAGEE-WOMEN'S RES INST AND FOUNDATION
- **Principal Investigator:** GERALD SCHATTEN
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $371,029
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2012-09-30 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10441312

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10441312, Frontiers in Alzheimer's and Aging Research (FrA2R) (5R25AG043365-10). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10441312. Licensed CC0.

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