From June 5 through 8, AFAR convened three scientific meetings in Santa Barbara, California. Nearly 100 attendees-- including AFAR grantees, senior leaders the field, and representatives from foundations--assembled to report on their AFAR-supported research, and senior investigators from top institutions nationwide shared insights on emerging directions in the field.
First, AFAR hosted the New Investigators In Alzheimer’s Disease Grantee Meeting, sponsored by The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation. Grantees from 2007 to the present shared their current research through in 5 minute “Data Blitz” presentations. AFAR’s Director of Programs, Odette van der Willik and 2015 New Investigator Jason Hinman, MD, PhD, gave a special presentation titled, “Translational Research: Opportunities for Philanthropy.” Dr. John Morris from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, provided the keynote address “Relevance of the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network to Late Onset Alzheimer Disease”.
The New Investigator grantees then joined recent recipients of the AFAR Research Grants, Ellison/AFAR and Glenn/AFAR Postdoctoral Fellowships, the Breakthroughs in Gerontology awards, Julie Martin Mid-Career awards and the Glenn/AFAR Scholarships for Research in the Biology of Aging for the 29th Annual AFAR Grantee Conference, which kicked off with presentations by Abbe de Vallejo, PhD (2012 Midcareer Award); Rajendra S. Apte, MD, PhD (2012 Midcareer Award); and Amy E. Pasquinelli, PhD (2013 BIG Award).
2015 Glenn/AFAR Postdoctoral Fellows, Drs. Lynda Wilmott (left) and Reyhan Westbrook, at the 2016 poster session.
Next, a special joint meeting of the AFAR Grantee Conference and Glenn Workshop took place. Moderated by Kevin Lee, PhD, AFAR Board Member and Senior Scientific & Programmatic Advisor for the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research, symposia focused around the themes, “Aging research, healthspan, and postponing morbidity;” “Using biology of aging research to develop applications for human health;” and “A Healthy Brain: Emerging Research in the Neurobiology of Aging.”
Presentations were followed with the AFAR Grantee Poster Session.
2015 Glenn/AFAR Scholarships for Research in the Biology of Aging recipient, Sarah Neuner, presents her research during the annual poster session.
The Santa Barbara meetings concluded with the 7th annual Paul F. Glenn Workshop on the Biology of Aging. Moderated by Kevin Lee, Ph.D., the Glenn Center Directors discussed current center activities, future research directions and explored opportunities for collaboration among the Glenn Centers, and more broadly with researchers in the biology of aging community and in other disciplines.
1993 AFAR Research Grant Recipient, Felipe Sierra, PhD, Director of the Division of Aging Biology at the National Institute on Aging, NIH, shares an India Ink drawing inspired by the Santa Barbara scenery.
AFAR is grateful to The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation for underwriting the New Investigators meeting, the generosity of AFAR supporters for underwriting the Grantee Conference, and The Glenn Foundation for Medical Research for underwriting the Glenn Workshop.
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