National Harbor, MD
If you are attending the GSA 2026 Annual Scientific Meeting, please join AFAR on November 5th for an awards ceremony, lectures, and reception for the 2026 George M. Martin Lifetime Achievement in Mentoring Award, the 2026 Terrie Fox Wetle Rising Star Award in Health Services and Aging Research, and the 2026 Irving S. Wright Award of Distinction.
AFAR Scientific Director Steven N. Austad, PhD, will host the event and present the awards.
2026 George M. Martin Lifetime Achievement in Mentoring Award:
Nir Barzilai, MD
Ingeborg and Ira Leon Rennert Chair of Aging Research, Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Genetics, as well as Director of the Institute for Geroscience and the BIO-VITA Batia and Idan Ofer program for Validation of Interventions Targeting Aging and Longevity, at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Dr. Barzilai will share remarks.
2026 Terrie Fox Wetle Rising Star Award in Health Services and Aging Research:
Lauren B. Gerlach, DO, MS
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Dr. Gerlach will present the lecture, "Medicating Distress in Older Adults: What National Data Tell Us About Prescribing, Policy, and Care.”
2026 Irving S. Wright Award of Distinction:
Richard J. Hodes, MD
Director of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Dr. Hodes will present the lecture, "Advances in Aging Science and Innovation at NIA: Remarks from the NIA Director."
