The Research Centers Collaborative Network (RCCN) is seeking to fund projects that involve NIA-sponsored research centers and Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) hubs, in support of implementation activities for the Inclusion of Older Adults In Clinical Trials. The RCCN is seeking to fund up to 3 projects of up to $70,000 each, addressing this topic. Applications are due February 15, 2022 with awards announced by March 31, 2022.
This mechanism provides funding for up to 3 collaborative grants supporting interdisciplinary research collaborations in the theme area. Each award will provide up to $70,000 in direct costs. The proposals must include investigators representing an NIA Centers Program (Shock, Roybal, Older American Independence (Pepper), Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research, Centers for Demography and Economics of Aging, and Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers), and investigators from a CTSA Program Hub. Applications may seek support to collect or analyze data, convene experts to explore aspects of the theme area in detail, or develop multi- or interdisciplinary conceptual models to motivate further crosscenter work. There must be clear evidence that all investigators will contribute importantly to the intellectual design and conduct of the project.
Deadline: Feb. 15, 2022
Proposals responsive to this RFA could include the following topics or areas, but are not limited to: • Development of tools to assess age-friendly research environments • Testing of strategies to empower communities to advocate for greater age-inclusivity in translational research • Development of strategies to engage older adults in the design of clinical trials • Pilot pragmatic trials evaluating strategies to increase age-inclusivity • Evaluating ageism among clinical researchers, research staff and/or IRB members. • Developing metrics of age-inclusion that would be useful in evaluating the success of policy or process changes aimed at increasing age-inclusion. • Work to document the consequences of regulatory policies on age-inclusion. • Assessing threats to generalizability when early phase trials are not age-representative for the population targeted for treatment. • Identification and dissemination of best practices for age-inclusive research environments. • Development of Guidance documents to embed implementation science measures in activities designed to increase the inclusion of older adults in clinical research.
Proposals that address topics outside of these priority areas but are relevant to the goal of increasing age-inclusion in clinical research are also welcome under this RFA.
Principal investigators must be faculty who are affiliated with any of the 6 NIA Center programs or CTSA hubs as confirmed by letters from the directors of the relevant programs.
Investigators who are not (yet) faculty can be Co-Investigators on the grant. Proposals must include investigators from at least 1 NIA Center program and 1 CTSA hub. Proposals can be submitted by two or more investigators at the same institution or investigators at different institutions. Applications must be relevant to the Workshop topic generally, and ideally address questions and priorities addressed at the workshop as outlined above. Small clinical trials are eligible under this mechanism.
