The 2009 Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) Program has openings for first-year medical students interested in a paid research training opportunity. The program is coordinated at UCSD as well as other participating institutions nationwide.

At UCSD, the UCSD Stein Institute for Research on Aging (SIRA) offers this intensive summer research training program. Students are paired with experienced scientists from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and three neighboring institutions (the Burnham Institute, the Salk Institute, and the Scripps Research Institute) to conduct hands-on research by pursuing basic science, clinical or health services research projects in the broad areas of geriatrics and gerontology with their selected mentor. Applications for summer 2009 are due Friday, February 6, 2009. Stipend is provided.

Need more information? UCSD call for applications for 2009 or download a pdf version of the Program Brochure.

Contact Jennifer Reichstadt for information about the local program.

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2009 Summer Institute in Geriatric Medicine at Boston University Medical Center June 1-5, 2009
Sponsored by the American Geriatrics Society and the Boston University School of Medicine with funding from National Institute on Aging (NIA). This is a week-long conference designed for 3rd and 4th year medical students interested in pursuing careers in academic geriatric medicine and geriatric research. Activities include clinical and research seminars on key geriatrics/aging topics, site visits to clinical programs, and small group development of a research proposal. Applications due Friday, January 9, 2009. Full financial support is provided. Applications are available in the AGRC office or you can download a PDF application online ~ click here.

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The American Geriatrics Society offers a number of awards and nominations are due in December of each year. Click here to visit the AGS website. The awards include:

• Clinician of the Year - This award was established to recognize the great contributions of practitioners to the delivery of quality health care to older people, and the importance of the geriatrics clinician in our health care delivery system.
• Dennis W. Jahnigen Memorial Award - This award is given annually to an AGS member who has provided leadership to train students in geriatrics and has contributed significantly to the progress of geriatrics education in health professions schools.
• Edward Henderson Student Award - The Edward Henderson Student Award is presented to a student interested in pursuing a career in geriatrics, who has demonstrated excellence in the field.
• Nascher / Manning Award - The intent of this award is to honor Dr. Nascher’s pioneering work in the field of geriatrics, by recognizing an individual with distinguished, life-long achievement in clinical geriatrics, including medicine, psychiatry, and all other relevant disciplines.
• Outstanding Scientific Achievement for Clinical Investigation Award - To recognize outstanding achievement in clinical research addressing health care problems of older adults by an investigator who is actively involved in direct patient care.

For more information about any of these awards, or to nominate someone, see awards brochure information.

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The American Geriatrics Society ~ Geriatrics for Specialists offers grants specifically focused on the medical and surgical specialties. Click here to visit the AGS website.

Geriatrics Education for Specialty Residents (GSR) program - This program, part of the AGS' Geriatrics-for-Specialists Initiative (GSB), supports collaborations between medical specialty faculty and geriatricians that develop, initiate and evaluate programs integrating geriatrics into surgical and related specialty residency training. Specialties targeted: anesthesiology, emergency medicine, general surgery, gynecology, ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery, otolaryngology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, thoracic surgery, urology. Click here for more information about this program.

The Dennis W. Jahnigen Career Development Awards Program - This award is intended to allow individuals to initiate and ultimately sustain a career in research and education in the geriatrics aspects of their discipline. The Jahnigen Scholars program offers two-year career development awards to support junior faculty in the same targeted areas as are listed under the GSR program listed above. Click here for more information.

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The American Federation of Aging Research offers numerous award opportunities. Each of the awards has its own application deadline. Click on the individual links for specific information.

• AFAR Research Grants - This grant provides up to $60,000 for a one- to two-year award to junior faculty (M.D.'s and Ph.D.'s) to do research that will serve as the basis for longer term research efforts. Click here for more information about this program.
• The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation/AFAR New Investigator Awards in Alzheimer's Disease - This program supports research in areas in which more scientific investigation is needed to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. Click here for more information about this program.
• Paul Beeson Career Development Awards in Aging Research Program - This program provides three to five years of mentored career development support to clinically-trained faculty members in strong research environments to enable them to gain skills and experience in aging research, under the guidance of a mentor or mentors, and to establish an independent program of research in this field. Click here for more information about this program.
• The Julie Martin Mid-Career Award in Aging Research - This program encourages outstanding mid-career scientists who have not been engaged in aging resarch but whose research is relevant and could lead to novel approaches to aging. Also eligible are aging researchers whose research is high risk, and thus not attractive to other traditional funding sources. Two four-year awards of $550,000. Click here for more information about this program.
• Glenn/AFAR Breakthroughs in Gerontology Award - This program provides timely support to a pilot research program that may be of relatively high risk but which offers significant promise of yielding transforming discoveries in the fundamental biology of aging. Full-time faculty, at rank of Assistant Professor or higher are eligible. One two-year grant of up to $200,000 will be awarded. Click here for more information about this program.
• The Cart Fund, Inc. - This program encourages exploratory and developmental AD research projects by providing support for early and conceptual planning. Click here for more information.
• Ellison Medical Foundation/AFAR Senior Postdoctoral Fellows Research Program - This program encourages and furthers the careers of postdoctoral fellows in the fundamental mechanisms of aging. Fellows with at least three and not more than five years of postdoctoral training are eligible. Click here for more information.
• Ellison Medical Foundation/AFAR Postdoctorol Fellows in Aging Research Program - The program was developed to address the current concerns about an adequate funding base for postdoctoral fellows who conduct research in the fundamental mechanisms of aging. Postdoctoral fellows at all levels of training are eligible. Click here for more information.
• Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) Program - To encourage medical students to consider a career in academic geriatrics, this program awards short-term scholarships. Click here for more information. For information about MSTAR at UCSD, click here.

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