September 2007 Volume 1, Number 7

News and Events

Center on Aging and GSA Conference 2007

Are you planning on attending the GSA Conference in San Francisco November 16-20? If so, please contact Louise Tonin at 585-9540 or louise.tonin@utah.edu. The Center on Aging is hoping to create a list of all posters and papers that will be presented at the GSA Conference. CoA is hosting a booth, where copies of reprints and handouts will be distributed. Volunteers are needed during prime exhibit hours to help staff the exhibit booth. CoA will be organizing a get-together dinner for all U of U CoA faculty/students participating at GSA.

College of Nursing designated a John A. Hartford Foundation Geriatric Nursing Center of Excellence

On Friday, September 21, 2007 the Board of Directors of the John A. Hartford Foundation selected the University of Utah College of Nursing as a Hartford Center for Geriatric Nursing Excellence. Four new Centers of Excellence were added to the five currently funded by the Hartford Foundation. The University of Utah Hartford Center for Geriatric Nursing Excellence is designed to increase the number of faculty qualified to teach geriatric nursing through national and regional strategies. This five-year, $1 million dollar award will be augmented with significant investment in geriatric education by the University of Utah. Along with funding support comes the prestige of being affiliated with this nationally-recognized leader in the advancement of geriatric care and education. Ginette A. Pepper, PhD RN, FAAN will serve as the Center's Executive Director Patricia Berry, PhD, APRN,BC and Dale Lund, PhD, FGSA will serve as Associate Directors. All are Center on Aging members.

The University of Utah Hartford Center for Geriatric Nursing Excellence will have national impact by expanding the number of highly qualified geriatric nursing faculty prepared to teach in nursing programs throughout the country. A specialized program of study will utilize distance PhD education to prepare nurse scientists for teaching careers in research intensive universities. PhD students will attend classes via a sophisticated internet-based videoconferencing system that establishes a virtual classroom. Students can enroll from anywhere in the United States or Canada without re-locating to Utah. Using cutting-edge distance education technology to reach students throughout the nation, the College of Nursing will offer a PhD program to prepare faculty for major universities. Regionally, the master's and Doctor of Nurse Practioner programs will educate faculty to prepare registered nurses and nurse practioners. Please click here for full press release.

Center receives NIA Geriatric Academic Leadership Award

Dr. Supiano is pleased to announce that a five-year K07 Geriatric Academic Leadership Award has been funded for $500,000 direct costs. The primary objective of this proposal to enhance the visibility and support for aging-related research at the University of Utah will be accomplished by achieving the following three specific aims.

• Specific Aim 1. Expand the number of investigators with aging-related research interests. The measurable goal for this aim is the increase in the number of investigators identified at the University of Utah with funded programs in aging-related research. The growth will occur through recruitment to four areas of research strength, developing new partnerships, and by career development.

• Specific Aim 2. Foster the development of new interdisciplinary collaborations in aging research. The Center will support an infrastructure to facilitate aging research by developing a registry for subject recruitment, providing administrative assistance, and developing a facility for exercise and rehabilitation protocols. Accomplishing this aim will be evaluated by the further development of the Center on Aging program, success of the pilot grant program, growth in the University's aging research related grant portfolio, and funding for interdisciplinary research programs and center grant proposals.

• Specific Aim 3. Develop a multidisciplinary research training program in aging for pre- and post-doctoral trainees. The measurable outcomes for this aim are the number of trainees who participate in aging-related research, the development of the aging-research curriculum in the K30 program, and funding for a multidisciplinary T32 training grant focused on aging research.

The funding from this award added $50,000 to the 2007 pilot grant program (please click here for more information) and will enhance the infrastructure needed to further develop aging research programs. For example, a registry of individuals who are interested in participating in aging research studies is being developed. Subsequent newsletters will include information about this and other programs that are under development. Dr. Supiano would like to hear from you about your ideas about how the Center on Aging can better serve the needs of your aging research activities. He also values your help in advancing each of the award's specific aims.

About our logo: The bristlecone pine tree (Pinus longaeva) the earth's oldest inhabitant with a life span of 4,000 years is found only in Utah and five other western states. Its extraordinary longevity and ability to adapt and survive in extremely harsh environmental conditions above 10,000 feet embodies the investigative spirit and mission of the Utah Center on Aging.

If you have questions about the University of Utah Center on Aging, please visit us online at http://aging.utah.edu 801-585-9540 or aging@hsc.utah.edu

Best,

Mark A. Supiano, MD
Executive Director - Center on Aging