IGERT in Healthy Aging: LIFE in an Aging Society

Exciting opportunities are available to students with a variety of backgrounds and interests. Research will include primary study in one of four research cores as well as participation in a supplemental core.

Potential research:

Students trained in the Musculoskeletal and Diet & Genes Cores could explore the interactions between the effects of nutrition, exercise, and aging on bone, muscle strength, and physical function.  Researchers may investigate the relationship between micronutrients and bone health and the interplay between exercise, diet and aging-related declines in cellular response to stress.

IGERT students in the Gerontechnology Core, in concert with students in the Psychosocial Core, may focus on developing new technologies. This team could explore 1) the profound ethical ramifications of monitoring technologies, or 2) developing user interfaces that allow technologies to be incorporated into daily life with relative ease. 

Students working with Diet & Genes Core on the neurobiology of aging may work with faculty in the Psychosocial Core to investigate how psychological stress impacts memory processes.

Students trained in Psychosocial and Musculoskeletal Cores may study the interactions between the competing effects of psychosocial stressors and exercise on physical, mental, and emotional function.  They might explore the impacts of different life events, such as loss of a spouse, on aging-related declines in physical function. 

Students training in the Musculoskeletal and Gerontechnology Cores will explore creative use of technology to maintain older adults’ physical function and mobility.  Integrative studies may address the potential technology to support social networks that encourage exercise for older adults.

Researchers from the Diet & Genes Core can collaborate with Gerontechnology researchers to create on line memory monitoring to test the efficacy of certain micronutrients interventions.