Congratulations and welcome to the 2011 recipients of our physician faculty career development awards in aging, made possible through public-private partnerships with the National Institute on Aging. Today, we highlight recipients of the prestigious Paul B. Beeson Career Development Awards in Aging Research, administered by our grantee the American Federation for Aging Research. (Stay tuned next week for an announcement of the new cohorts of stellar Dennis W. Jahnigen and T. Franklin Williams Scholars.)
Named in honor of the pioneering Dr. Paul Beeson, the scholars program represents his vision of increasing the number of physicians with combined clinical, academic, and scientific expertise who can lead the way in delivering optimal care for a growing older population. With 2012 applications already open, we encourage junior faculty in academic medicine to learn about and follow in the footsteps of this year’s outstanding group of awardees, each of whom has received $600,000-$800,000 in funding for three to five years.
The Beeson award represents one of the most prestigious grants a physician-scientist can receive in aging research. The 2011 Beeson Scholars join the ranks of 165 predecessors—basic, clinical, and health services investigators in both geriatrics and other specialties—who, through their rigorous research, contribute to the evidence base for better geriatric care across all settings and specialties. Each demonstrates a capacity for leadership and the potential to influence medical education and clinical practice. This potential is nurtured by the unique aspects of these public-private awards, which go beyond traditional NIH career development grants to provide added mentoring, annual meetings, and other career development support. We know this extra support pays off. We can expect that the 2011 scholars will someday become renowned researchers, department chairs and deans, and health systems leaders, sharing their specialized knowledge about what it takes to ensure older adults receive safe, high-quality care.
We look forward to seeing the 2011 Beeson Scholars achieve the prominence and the influence to effect change that many former Beesons have attained. One of them may become the next Dr. Mark Lachs, geriatrician-turned-author, who is helping the public get the best care possible for their aging loved ones (see his appearance on Good Morning America and learn about his book here). Or we might see another Dr. Harlan Krumholz, “The Most Powerful Doctor You Never Heard Of ,” who once again made news recently with his study showing that a campaign he helped start has improved the treatment time of heart attack patients in hospitals. Or more likely, these new Beeson Scholars will chart their own unique paths to improving the health of older adults through their research, advocacy, and passion for caring for our aging population.
Administered since 1994 by AFAR with funding over time from a number of private foundations (among them, The Atlantic Philanthropies, Commonwealth Fund, the Starr Foundation, and an anonymous donor), the Beeson program transitioned to an enhanced federal research award through the National Institute on Aging in 2004. Other federal partners have included the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the Office of Dietary Supplements. The transition to a federal partnership has allowed the program to continue and flourish, and after nearly 20 years of funding, the John A. Hartford Foundation will proudly count the Beeson program and scholars as one of its shining success stories.
Congratulations again to the 2011 Beeson Scholars! We wish you the best in your careers and look forward to celebrating again when another impressive cohort joins you next year.
William Ehlenbach, MD
Senior Fellow in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
University of Washington
Research Project: Cognitive Outcomes and Neuropathology in Older Adults Following Critical Illness
Adit Ginde, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
University of Colorado Denver
Research Project: Vitamin D and Immunosenescence in Older Long-Term Care Residents
Alison Huang, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine in Residence
University of California, San Francisco
Research Project: A Multidimensional Approach to Urogenital Aging in Older Women
Richard King, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Neurology
University of Utah
Research Project: Cortical Complexity Changes in Normal Aging and Alzheimer's Disease
Heidi Klepin, MD
Assistant Professor of Hematology and Oncology
Wake Forest University Health Services
Research Project: Minimizing Physical Function Decline in Older Adults Receiving Chemotherapy
Sei Lee, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
University of California, San Francisco
Research Project: Individualizing Treatment for Nursing Home Residents with Diabetes Mellitus
Dan Matlock, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
University of Colorado Denver
Research Project: Implanted Defibrillators and Older Adults: A Model of Decision and Technologies
Keith Vossel, MD
Research Scientist
UCSF/J. David Gladstone Institutes
Research Project:
Mechanisms and Treatment of Network Dysfunction in Alzheimer's Disease