History of RCMAR
Initiated in 1997, the RCMAR Program was created with a specific focus on enhancing the health and well-being of older racial and ethnic minorities through dedicated research, training, and community engagement. The RCMAR Program has grown to include 18 RCMAR Centers since its founding
The first RCMAR NCC was initially based at the Henry Ford Health System RCMAR Center in Detroit, Michigan, before transferring to the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) when Director Dr. Barbara Tilley relocated. In 2003, the RCMAR NCC relocated to the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) where it remained for the next four RCMAR cycles, from 2003 to 2023. At UCLA, the RCMAR NCC was directed by Janet C. Frank, DrPH, and co-directed by Dr. Steven Wallace.
In 2018, when RCMAR was renewed for its fifth cycle, the program expanded to include Centers that focus specifically on Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease–Related Dementias (AD/ADRD), which now comprise 10 of the 18 Centers.
Entering its sixth funding cycle (2023–2028), the RCMAR VI Program continues and builds on this legacy by supporting centers engaged in behavioral and social science research, with an emphasis on aging, health disparities in older adults, and AD/ADRD. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) recognizes that structural barriers within the greater biomedical research ecosystem continue to impede the full participation of researchers from historically underrepresented groups in the NIA-funded scientific community, including those in the behavioral and social sciences. In the interest of enhancing the potential impact of the RCMAR program and in cultivating future research leaders in behavioral and social science research on aging, health disparities in older adults, and AD/ADRD, the RCMAR VI program places a strong emphasis on implementing and promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) principles and practices, through means consistent with applicable law, in a comprehensive and intentional manner.
Entering its sixth funding cycle (2023–2028), the RCMAR VI Program continues and builds on this legacy by supporting centers engaged in behavioral and social science research, with an emphasis on aging, health disparities in older adults, and AD/ADRD. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) recognizes that structural barriers within the greater biomedical research ecosystem continue to impede the full participation of researchers from historically underrepresented groups in the NIA-funded scientific community, including those in the behavioral and social sciences. In the interest of enhancing the potential impact of the RCMAR program and in cultivating future research leaders in behavioral and social science research on aging, health disparities in older adults, and AD/ADRD, the RCMAR VI program places a strong emphasis on implementing and promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) principles and practices, through means consistent with applicable law, in a comprehensive and intentional manner.
History of the RCMAR NCC
The role of the RCMAR National Coordinating Center (NCC) has been to coordinate and provide logistical support to RCMAR Centers; facilitate cooperation and collaboration across RCMAR Centers; identify and share resources and materials for research and training; provide support, technical assistance, and resources to early career investigators; and perform program analysis and evaluation. Additionally, the RCMAR NCC develops and implements strategies to (1) enhance the visibility of the RCMAR program and behavioral and social research on aging and AD/ADRD as a whole and (2) communicate the importance and value of DEIA in the aging and AD/ADRD research community.
The first RCMAR NCC was initially based at the Henry Ford Health System RCMAR Center in Detroit, Michigan, before transferring to the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) when Director Dr. Barbara Tilley relocated. In 2003, the RCMAR NCC relocated to the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) where it remained for the next four RCMAR cycles, from 2003 to 2023. At UCLA, the RCMAR NCC was directed by Janet C. Frank, DrPH, and co-directed by Dr. Steven Wallace. In 2023, the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) was awarded the RCMAR NCC. Currently, RCMAR NCC is led by Patricia D’Antonio, MS, MBA; Lisa Barnes, PhD; Tamara Baker, PhD; Carmen Sceppa, MD, PhD; and James Appleby, MPH, ScD (Hon) for RCMAR VI. The team is driven to continue the legacy of support to the RCMAR Centers and scientists, sharing resources, and implementing strategies to promote the research and work of RCMAR Centers.