From May 27th to May 30th, 2025, AFAR held two scientific meetings in Santa Barbara, California: The Hevolution/AFAR New Investigator Grantee Conference, and the joint Paul F. Glenn/AFAR Conference on The Biology of Aging and the 38th Annual AFAR Grantee Conference. Across these interconnected meetings, AFAR grantees, senior leaders in the field, and foundation representatives convened to hear reports on AFAR-supported research, share insights on emerging directions in the field and find opportunities for networking and collaboration.
First, the Hevolution/AFAR New Investigator Grantee Conference began with a talk by AFAR’s Scientific Director Steven Austad, PhD, who presented “Tips on Communicating Your Science to Journalists and Politicians in Challenging Times.”
AFAR is grateful to the Hevolution Foundation, as well as the many attendees, speakers, and researchers, for their help in making these annual meetings possible.
The Hevolution/AFAR New Investigators also showcased their research during the Datablitz Presentations, providing a snapshot of their research and learn what others are working on. Dr. Austad remarked, “The data blitz presentations impressed me with one terrific research project after another, each succinctly described. This kind of exchange and feedback is vital to move science forward. We all look forward to seeing how these talented investigators will advance their findings through this early support from an AFAR grant.”
Next, the Paul F. Glenn/AFAR Conference on The Biology of Aging and the 38th Annual AFAR Grantee Conference, which is held jointly with the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research, convened. AFAR Board Member and multiple grantee Catherine Kaczorowski, PhD, shared welcoming remarks, as did Kevin Lee, PhD, who serves as Senior Scientific & Programmatic Advisor for the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research and as an AFAR board member. He shared, “The Glenn Foundation for Medical Research is proud to partner with AFAR to host our annual joint conference. Every year, the scientific sessions are stimulating, and the caliber of speakers is outstanding. These scientific meetings are a testament to the impact of investing in promising biomedical research and are a key component of our strategy to support and encourage researchers at a time when this mission is more important than ever.”
The first day ended with presentations from 2021 Glenn Foundation for Medical Research Breakthroughs in Gerontology (BIG) Award recipients Bradley Olwin, PhD, and Andrey Tsvetkov, PhD, and 2022 McKnight Brain Research Foundation Innovator Awards in Cognitive Aging and Memory Loss recipients Tara Tracy, PhD, and Emilie Reas, PhD.
The following day, additional presentations came from speakers in academic and biotech sectors, including former AFAR grant recipients Kristen Fortney, PhD, Daniel Promislow, DPhil, and Miranda Orr, PhD. Current grantees then showcased their research in a poster session.
The Santa Barbara meetings concluded with a panel discussion on Integrity in Science moderated by Stuart Firestein, PhD, Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University. Panelists included microbiologist and science integrity advocate Elisabeth Bik, MD; Ivan Oransky, MD, Editor-in-Chief of The Transmitter; Charles Piller from Science Magazine; and Matthew Schrag, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
AFAR is grateful to the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research, as well as the many attendees, speakers, and researchers, for their help in making these annual meetings possible.
AFAR President Thomas A. Rando, MD, PhD, spoke of the event, “The range of presentations offered a glimpse into the tremendous momentum in aging research that will help us all live long healthy lives. From stem cells to cognition and memory to the science of exercise and the latest findings on healthspan-extending drugs in humans and animal models, the topics covered reflected the pulse of the field. AFAR brought together a stellar mix of voices from academic labs, private industry, and even science media. The closing panel on scientific integrity was particularly inspiring considering the unfortunate rise of pseudoscience today, and a reminder of how AFAR deeply values and supports rigorous research.”
Reflecting on the experience, 2023 Glenn Foundation for Medical Research and AFAR Grants for Junior Faculty recipient Daniel Czyz, PhD, shared:
“Thank you for organizing such a fantastic meeting and inviting me to be a part of it. I had a wonderful time networking with so many brilliant scientists and learning about cutting-edge research in aging.”
Download the conference program here.
To learn about AFAR’s grant programs, click here.
