Mission

To Support and Advance Healthy Aging through Biomedical Research

3 Gen Women Af Am

“We are tackling the greatest health problem of today and the coming years—the innumerable and complex disabilities of the aging population.”

- Irving S. Wright, MD, AFAR Founder

Irving Wright in Lab LIFE Magazine 1955 W Eb copy 3

AFAR founder Irving S. Wright in his lab, circa 1955 in LIFE Magazine.

History

AFAR’s founder, Irving S. Wright, MD, was among the first to look ahead to the medical needs of this growing population of older people.

Dr. Wright was an internationally recognized cardiologist and geriatrician who pioneered the modern use of anticoagulants in therapies like bypass surgery.

In 1981, he started AFAR to develop resources for scientific research on aging and clinical care for an aging society.

From our beginning, AFAR’s vision has been to fund and nurture talented scientists and physicians and encourage them to pursue lifelong careers in research focused on aging processes and age-related diseases.

4400

Aging Researchers

200

Million Funded

42

Years

“At the time AFAR got started, I think it would be fair to say that most people in both the scientific and medical communities did not regard aging research as a serious scientific endeavor.”

- Harvey Jay Cohen, MD, Immediate Past President - AFAR Board of Directors
Duke University

For over four decades, AFAR's grant programs and scientific convenings have helped researchers lay the scientific foundation for understanding the biology of aging while expanding and evolving the field of aging research.


A trusted leader and strategist, AFAR also works with public and private funders to steer high quality grant programs and interdisciplinary research networks.