# Training in Alzheimer’s and Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2020 · $500,008

## Abstract

PROJECT ABSTRACT
This application represents the fourth competitive renewal (years 21-25) for our T32 Program “Training in
Age-related Neurodegenerative Diseases”. The program supports 6 predoctoral and 4 postdoctoral trainees
per year. The program is based at the Perelman School of Medicine, School of Arts and Sciences, School of
Dental Medicine at The University of Pennsylvania, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Together, these
institutions have one of the largest programs on neurodegenerative disease research in the country, with a
funded base of >$20 million as determined by federal, pharmaceutical and foundation grants held by the
trainers. Among the many individuals who study neurodegenerative diseases on our campus, a select group of
22 mentors are associated with this T32 program. In our program, we place specific emphasis on collaborative
science and a commitment to training students and postdoctoral fellows: all trainers have published numerous
papers with other trainers, 12 of the trainers share jointly funded NIH grants with other trainers, 20 of our
trainees have published with 2 or more trainers, there are many joint lab meetings, and our trainers participate
in extensive programmatic activities and minority-recruitment efforts. Over the past 20 years, the program has
supported 36 predoctoral trainees working in 24 different laboratories. Currently, 1 is an associate professor, 6
are assistant professors of which 3 are working on age-related neurodegenerative diseases, 1 is an instructor,
2 are postdocs, and 9 are doing residency and/or research fellowships at distinguished universities such as
Harvard, Penn, Washington University, Johns Hopkins, and UCSF. Two are in private practice, 2 others are
managing non-profit foundations, one is an academic biostatistician, one is a freelance science writer and
another is a manager of research services. Three completed their PhDs and are in the process of completing
their MDs, 6 are still in training. Our training program also supported 27 postdocs over the past 20 years
working in 16 different laboratories. Currently 3 are professors, 2 are associate professors, 3 are assistant
professors, 1 is a research associate,1 is an instructor, 1 is a lecturer, 1 is in private practice, 4 work in the
pharmaceutical industry, 1 is a senior consultant in pharmaceutical industry, 1 is a program director at NIDDK,
NIH, and 5 are still in training. Many of the predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees are stepping into leadership
roles—one is the Founder and CEO of Avid Radiopharmaceuticals and a senior vice-president of clinical and
product development at Eli Lilly; another is the chair of Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University
of California, Irvine; and a third is the Director of a Translational Neurotrauma Research Program at the
University of Arizona. Many have established their own laboratories with independent grant support from the
NIH. Thus, based on these outcomes, we feel tha...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9925191
- **Project number:** 5T32AG000255-23
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** VIRGINIA M LEE
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $500,008
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1997-08-01 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9925191

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9925191, Training in Alzheimer’s and Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases (5T32AG000255-23). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9925191. Licensed CC0.

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