SUMMARY / ABSTRACT The overall goal of the Boston OAIC REC is to train future independent research scientists who have the knowledge and skills to translate fundamental mechanisms of disease and disability into novel interventions that can improve the health, physical function, and well-being of people as they age. The REC will achieve this by selecting the most promising early career (Pre-K Award) scientists from clinical and basic science disciplines, and providing them with both collective and individual educational activities, research experiences, mentoring, and career guidance that will enable them to acquire future career development or research awards and ultimately become leaders in translational research devoted to the discovery of function promoting therapies (FPTs). The REC’s specific aims are as follows: 1. To select at least 6 talented early investigators from diverse clinical and basic science disciplines who have strong potential to become independent investigators devoted to translational research. 2. To provide these trainees with two-year mentored research experiences focused on the development of function-promoting therapies for people as they age. 3. To enhance the education of these trainees in relevant curricular areas through research seminars and lectures, formal coursework, and specific training in the importance of diversity in science and the protection of human and/or animal subjects. By the completion of the proposed 5-year funding period, we will have selected and trained at least 6 promising new investigators in the field of aging. These early stage investigators will acquire the necessary data, research experience, and mentorship to generate and test new hypotheses regarding FPTs and compete successfully for independent funding for their future research. These individuals will enrich the nation’s workforce with future leaders who will continue to develop new interventions to promote physical function in old age and also train future generations of investigators to continue vital work on this important theme.