Fall 2006 Newsletter The Science of Healthier Aging AFAR Awards Grants to Scientists Studying Biology of Aging Understanding Mechanisms of Aging as a Means to Understanding Diseases of Aging First Half-Year Awards Exceed $2 Million; More to be Selected in the Fall Eighteen early and mid-career scientists were selected as the 2006 recipients of New President Begins Term three AFAR-supported grant programs. These scientists will study a broad Terrie Fox Wetle, elder care specifically, and in public range of subjects covering the biologi- PhD, a former health more generally. She has a spe- cal processes of aging and age-related Deputy Director of cial interest in qualitative and mixed diseases. The awards, the AFAR the National methods research, with a book on the Research Grant, the Julie Martin Mid- Institute on Aging topic under publication. Career Awards in Aging Research and (NIA), began her “I have always been an enthusiastic the Ellison Medical Foundation/AFAR term as President supporter of AFAR and its mission to Senior Postdoctoral Research Program, of AFAR. The two- assist early and mid-career scientists, together provide grants of more than year term is effective immediately. helping them to gain a foothold in the $2 million each year. Dr. Wetle is Associate Dean of field of aging research and geriatric Each of the more than 200 proposals Medicine for Public Health and Public medicine,” said Dr. Wetle. “The work of received were first reviewed by AFAR’s Policy, and Professor of Community AFAR is particularly important at a time National Scientific Advisory Council — a Health at Brown University. In addition when aging research holds such prom- volunteer corps of 200 of the nation’s to her position at the NIA, Dr. Wetle ise, but when greater numbers of scien- leading researchers on aging — who also held positions at Harvard Medical tists are competing for fewer and fewer made recommendations to AFAR’s School and Yale University as research dollars,” she added. Research Committee. After a one-day Assistant Professor of Medicine and continued on page 7 deliberation, the Research Committee, Director of the Program in Long Term led by Richard Miller, MD, PhD, Care Administration, respectively. Professor of Pathology and Associate Contents As a gerontologist, Dr. Wetle has stud- Director for Research at the University ied health status and service systems M of Michigan Geriatrics Center, made its for older adults, with a focus on func- Imaging & the Aging Brain ..............2 final selections in May. tional status and quality of life, and AFAR-NYAS-GE Healthcare Prize ......3 epidemiology of diseases common in “This year’s selections represent the McCarter AFAR Research Chair........3 best and the brightest new talent our aging. She has had a particular inter- nation has to offer in the field of aging est in long term care and in end-of-life AFAR 25th Anniversary ....................4 research,” said Dr. Miller. “It is through care, from the perspectives of older The Rosalinde and a greater understanding of the biologi- persons, their families, and the serv- Arthur Gilbert Foundation ................4 ice professionals who provide care. cal processes of aging and the inter- Beeson Annual Meeting ....................5 play of genes, hormones, diet and even Her research includes ethical issues in New Board Members ........................5 continued on page 6 Death of Vincent Cristofalo ............7 Top Neuroscientists Gather at Imaging Conference on the Aging Brain Nobel laureate Eric Kandel joined lead- ing neuroscientists and industry experts to speak at the Imaging and the Aging Brain conference, sponsored by AFAR and the New York Academy of Sciences and held at NYU’s Kimmel Center on May 16 and 17, 2006. Conference presentations focused on recent technological advances in brain imaging and how it is transforming the Eric Kandel, MD way researchers understand normal Dr. Kandel presented the keynote Combining PIB with a PET scan, and pathologic aging processes. address about the biology of memory Dr. Mintun and his colleagues have and age-related memory loss; how we developed a quantitative test that has learn, how we form memories, how we the potential to predict the onset of M store them and how we retrieve them. Alzheimer’s disease many years earlier than current methods. If confirmed by Executive Director Other featured presenters included: ongoing studies, this method would Stephanie Lederman Wendy Suzuki, PhD, Associate Professor, allow early and better treatment to slow or stop the formation of these plaques. Administrative Manager Neural Science, New York University, presented research about memory sig- Dr. Mintun is also investigating the use of Catherine Cullar nals in the macaque monkey medial PIB as a biomarker of aging and disease. temporal lobe. Her research looks into Director, Communications Eric Reiman, MD, Executive Director of how new memories are formed in the Stacey Harris the Banner Alzheimer’s Disease Institute brain and how memory is impaired at the University of Arizona, discussed through aging. Program Officer brain imaging and genomics research in Hattie Herman Scott Small, MD, the Herbert Irving the study of Alzheimer’s disease and Assistant Professor in Neurology at aging. His work focuses on detecting Director, Development Columbia University, presented data on and tracking the earliest brain changes Nancy O’Leary imaging studies in the hippocampal areas in people at risk for Alzheimer’s disease of humans, monkeys and mice. The hip- — in many cases decades before the Program Associate pocampus is an area of the brain that onset of possible memory and thinking Veronica Smith controls memory and both Alzheimer’s problems — and developing a way to disease and the normal aging process identify and evaluate effective treatments Director, Grant Programs target the hippocampus. Dr. Small’s to prevent it. Odette van der Willik work has helped identify the different Complete conference information molecular changes that distinguish AD 70 West 40th Street including multimedia presentations can from normal age-related decline. 11th Floor be found at www.nyas.org/AgingBrain. New York, NY 10018 Mark A. Mintun, MD, Professor of AFAR gratefully acknowledges major underwriters Radiology and Psychiatry, discussed his of this conference which include: The Alzheimer’s tel 212.703.9977 work using a new imaging agent, Association, Anonymous, Elan, GE Healthcare, fax 212.997.0330 Institute for The Study of Aging, International Pittsburgh Compound B (PIB) to track the Brain Research Foundation, Johnson & Johnson, build-up of amyloid plaque in the brain. National Institute on Aging/NIH, Ohio Valley www.afar.org While it has long been known that amy- Imaging Solutions, Pfizer and Sanofi-aventis. www.infoaging.org loid plaque is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s www.healthcompass.org disease, scientists could not measure www.beeson.org these plaques until after autopsy. 2 GE Healthcare Supports Early-Career Scientists Studying the Aging Brain Four neuroscientists were awarded the first AFAR Scientific AFAR-NYAS-GE Healthcare Neuroimaging Director George M. Martin, MD, Prize for Junior Investigators. The award, (center) with which was presented at the Imaging and award winners. the Aging Brain conference sponsored by the American Federation for Aging Research and the New York Academy of Sciences (www.nyas.org), was established by GE Healthcare (www.gehealthcare.com) as a way to support and recognize out- standing academic and scientific accom- plishments in the area of neuroimaging. Recipients of the $1,500 award include: us to better identify and treat age- Imaging Leader at GE Healthcare. related brain diseases at the earliest pos- “Imaging science has been at the fore- Juebin Huang, MD, PhD sible stages,” said Stephanie Lederman, front of helping us understand how the University Hospital of Cleveland/Case Executive Director of AFAR. brain works, providing a non-invasive Western Reserve University means to help detect alterations in Diffusion Tensor Imaging of Normal “GE Healthcare is proud to help early- brain function. It is through support of Appearing White Matter and its career scientists further their careers the next generation of scientists that Correlation with Cognitive Functioning in and the field of imaging,” said Dr. Jean- we will gain an even greater knowledge MCI and AD Luc Vanderheyden, Global Molecular of the brain’s workings,” he added. Bonita L. Marks, PhD Duke University, Center for the Study of McCarter Heads AFAR Research Committee Aging and Human Development Role of Aerobic Fitness and Aging on Cerebral White Matter Integrity Roger McCarter, PhD, a leader in research at the research on the physiology of aging University of Texas Grace E. Stutzmann, PhD mammals, will Chair AFAR’s Research Health Science Rosalind Franklin University / Committee, which makes the final selec- Center in San Antonio The Chicago Medical School tions on recipients of the AFAR Research focused on mecha- Enhanced Intracellular Calcium Release Results from Upregulated Ryanodine Grant and other select grant programs. nisms of action of Receptors in Mutant PS1-Expressing calorie restriction in Dr. McCarter, Professor of Biobehavioral Alzheimer Mouse Models aging. More recently, he joined col- Health at Penn State University, is leagues at the Center for Developmental Marc Weisskopf, PhD, ScD President-Elect of the Gerontological and Health Genetics at the Penn State Harvard School of Public Health Society of America, past