The Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) and the UCSF Memory and Aging Center (MAC) expect to receive a Ruth L. Kirschstein Institutional National Research Service Award (T32) from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Anticipated in June 2022, the grant would fund postdoctoral scholars with a focus on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias who will engage with GBHI and UCSF MAC for a new 2–3 year postdoctoral program in Brain Health Equity.
Disparities in dementia research are well-recognized in the U.S. In 2021, the Alzheimer’s Association published a special report entitled Race, Ethnicity and Alzheimer’s in America noting that 36% of Black Americans, 18% of Hispanic Americans and 19% of Asian Americans believe discrimination is a barrier to receiving dementia care. Increasing the number of investigators addressing equity in dementia research is crucial to disrupting the disparities.
Candidates will be expected to apply for the Atlantic Fellowship for Equity in Brain Health and complete the 12-month in-residence program during their training period. This interdisciplinary, international program which focuses on improving brain health and reducing the scale and impact of dementia internationally with a focus on vulnerable populations and health equity.
Candidates will benefit from the curricula and environments of GBHI and UCSF MAC, which include a large portfolio of local, national and international research to advance their careers. With formal curricula including leadership training and skills in grant writing as well as overviews on policy, economics, prevention, epidemiology, neuroscience and clinical care.
The new program offers mentored support for patient-oriented early career researchers in all aspects of dementia. Throughout the experience, candidates will have protected time for research and are expected to publish with their mentoring team and transition to independent developmental grant support (i.e., K-series at NIH) within the three training years.
In addition, completion of the Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health training allows candidates to join an international group of over 500 equity-focused Atlantic Fellows worldwide, access pilot grant funding, and obtain further leadership training provided at the Atlantic Institute at Rhodes House in Oxford, England, and GBHI.
How to Apply
This training program is open to all U.S. citizens or noncitizen nationals with advanced degrees (e.g., MD, PhD). Applicants will typically be in their first or second postdoctoral year and have research interests aligned with GBHI’s mission of improving brain health and reducing the scale and impact of dementia. Individuals from all medical and non-medical disciplines (e.g. policy, economics) are welcome to apply. Interested candidates can reach out to victor.valcour@gbhi.org to express interest.
