Bridging the geroscience chasm between bench and bedside.

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Aging Research
• Translational Science

Background:

• Geroscience therapeutics hold promise for geriatric medicine.
• A significant gap exists in training for geroscience trial design and implementation.
• Existing training programs lack comprehensive curricula for aging science scholars.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel 2-year geroscience training program.
• To address the identified training gap in aging research.
• To establish a prototype for future academic aging centers.

Main Methods:

• Developed a 2-year curriculum with two distinct training tracks.
• Incorporated coursework, clinical experiences, and mentored translational research.
• Leveraged existing clinical and research training infrastructures.

Main Results:

• The program provides scholars with fundamental aging research knowledge.
• Scholars gain practical experience through mentored translational projects.
• The curriculum includes diverse learning modalities like discussions and lab work.

Conclusions:

• The developed geroscience training program is feasible and scalable.
• This program can serve as a prototype for other institutions.
• It addresses the critical need for skilled geroscience researchers.