Quick Answers
Additional Resources
Video Resources
RCMAR Youtube Channel
The RCMAR Youtube channel contains RCMAR Program orientation videos, presentations on publications, training webinars, and more.
CDC Video Series
The CDC presents a video series on health equity, social determinants of health, racism and health, and intersectionality.
Research Data & Infrastructure
The Neighborhood Atlas
The Neighborhood Atlas website was created to freely share measures of neighborhood disadvantage with the public, including educational institutions, health systems, not-for-profit organizations, and government agencies, to make these metrics available for use in research, program planning, and policy development.
The Promise Study
The PROMISE Study strives to identify best mentoring practices for scientists underrepresented (UR) in biomedical research.
Science Collaborative for Health disparities
and Artificial intelligence bias REduction (ScHARe)
ScHARe is a cloud-based platform for population science including social determinants of health (SDOH), and data sets designed to fill four critical health disparities research and artificial intelligence (AI) gaps.
Wisconsin Longitudinal Study
The Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS) is a long-term study of a random sample of 10,317 men and women who graduated from Wisconsin high schools in 1957. The WLS provides an opportunity to study the life course, intergenerational transfers and relationships, family functioning, physical and mental health and well-being, and morbidity and mortality from late adolescence through 2011. WLS data also cover social background, youthful aspirations, schooling, military service, labor market experiences, family characteristics and events, social participation, psychological characteristics and retirement.
National Health and Aging Trends Study
Begun in 2011, the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) gathers information on a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries ages 65 and older. Annual, in-person interviews collect detailed information on the disablement process and its consequences. The sample is refreshed periodically so that researchers may study national-level disability trends as well as individual trajectories. A last month of life interview focuses on quality of end of life care.
National Study of Caregiving
Begun in 2011, the National Study of Caregiving (NSOC) periodically gathers information on family and unpaid caregivers to participants in the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). NSOC I (2011) and II (2015) provide cross-sectional snapshots about caregiving to older adults. In 2017, NSOC III included both a cross-sectional sample and longitudinal follow-up with helpers identified in 2015. Starting in 2021, NSOC will be conducted annually and will support both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.
National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project
A pioneering nationally representative study of the intersection between social and intimate relationships and healthy aging.
Panel Study of Income Dynamics
The study began in 1968 with a nationally representative sample of over 18,000 individuals living in 5,000 families in the United States. Information on these individuals and their descendants has been collected continuously, including data covering employment, income, wealth, expenditures, health, marriage, childbearing, child development, philanthropy, education, and numerous other topics.
Building Our Largest Dementia (Bold Project)
The Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act directs CDC to strengthen the U.S. public health infrastructure.
Midlife in the United States
National sample of continental U.S. residents, aged 25 to 74, who were first interviewed in 1995-96.
Health and Retirement Study
The Health and Retirement Study (HRS) is a longitudinal panel study that surveys a nationally representative sample of approximately 20,000 people in the United States aged 50 and older, supported by NIA (U01AG009740) and the Social Security Administration.
The National Longitudonal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health
The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) is a longitudinal study of a nationally representative sample of over 20,000 adolescents who were in grades 7-12 during the 1994-95 school year, and have been followed for five waves to date, most recently in 2016-18.
Project Talent
Project Talent is a nationally representative longitudinal study of older adults who attended high school in the U.S. in 1960.
Mentoring
National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN)
The mission of the National Research Mentoring Network is to provide researchers across all career stages in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences with the evidence-based mentorship and professional development programming that emphasizes the benefits and challenges of diversity, inclusivity and culture.
NIH Mentoring Hub
The National Institute on Health’s toolkit to encourage IC’s to create a mentor program that is ideal for their workforce with creation of toolkits, best practices, and more.
NIH Guideline for Mentors
This NIH guidelines provides an outline for good mentorship.
NIH Resilient Scientist
A five-part series including lectures and discussion groups to help you develop skills needed to thrive in research and healthcare careers.
Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER)
The CIMER project provides resources for improving mentorships relationships for trainees an mentors at all career stages.
National Academies Sciences Engineering Medicine – Science of Effective Mentoring in STEMM
The Science of Effective Mentoring in STEMM committee systematically compiled and analyzed current research on the characteristics, competencies, and behaviors of effective mentors and mentees in STEMM and developed a practical resource guide for mentoring practitioners to create and support viable, sustainable mentoring support systems.
International Mentoring Association
The International Mentoring Association provides resources for mentoring excellence and best practices through global communities.
European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC)
The European Mentoring and Coaching Council develops practives in mentoring.
NIH Centers, Programs, and Support
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) is one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the nation’s premiere medical research agency. NIMHD’s work touches the lives of millions of Americans burdened by disparities in health status and health care delivery, including racial and ethnic minority groups, rural populations, populations with low socioeconomic status, and other population groups.
NIH Division of Behavioral and Social Research
The Division of Behavioral and Social Research (BSR) supports social, behavioral, psychological, and economic research and training on the processes of aging at the individual and societal levels. BSR fosters cross-disciplinary research, from genetics to cross-national comparative research, and at stages from basic through translational.
NIH Stage Model for Behavioral Intervention Development
The Stage Model is a model of behavioral intervention development composed of six stages to produce highly potent and maximally implementable behavioral interventions that improve health and well-being.
Northwell Roybal Center
The Center’s primary focus is to develop support for (1) care providers working with individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) and (2) intervention research for behavioral and social sciences of aging.
Impact Collaboratory
The mission of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) IMbedded Pragmatic Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Collaboratory is to build the nation’s capacity to conduct pragmatic clinical trials of interventions embedded within health care systems for people living with dementia and their care partners.
a2 Collective
The a2 Collective represents the Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratories (AITC) for Aging Research program funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health. The a2 Collective comprises three AITCs centered at Johns Hopkins University (JH AITC), the University of Massachusetts Amherst (MassAITC), and the University of Pennsylvania (PennAITech) and the a2 Collective Coordinating Center managed by Rose Li & Associates, Inc. (RLA).
Aging Centers
The Centers on the Demography and Economics of Aging and Centers on the Demography and Economics of Alzheimer’s Disease/Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) exist to seed new lines of research in the demography and economics of aging and the demography, economics and health services research relevant to AD/ADRD.
Social, Behavioral, & Economic COVID Coordinating Center
A nexus of communication and collaboration among NIH-funded projects undertaking social, behavioral, and economic research on COVID-19. We promote an innovative, cross-disciplinary approach to COVID-19 research across the behavioral and social science community, multiple NIH award recipients, and the public.
Network on Life Course and Health Dynamics & Disparities
The Network on Life Course Health Dynamics and Disparities in 21st Century America (NLCHDD) is an interdisciplinary group of scientists at the forefront of research on the social determinants of US population health and health disparities.
Center for the Economics of Human Development
Scholars from the fields of economics, genetics, psychology, sociology, and statistics worked together to develop a comprehensive framework with which to analyze inequality in capabilities, with a focus on mid-life and late-life outcomes.
CTSA Trial Innovation Network
The vision for the Trial Innovation Network is to address critical roadblocks in clinical trials and to accelerate the translation of novel interventions into life-saving therapies. The network will focus on operational innovation, operational excellence and collaboration while leveraging the expertise, diversity and broad reach of the CTSA Program. Features will include a single institutional review board system, master contracting agreements, quality-by-design approaches, and a focus on evidence-based strategies for recruitment and patient engagement.
Single IRB Policy Multi-Site Research
An NIH-funded study being conducted at more than one U.S. site involving non-exempt human subjects research may be subject to the NIH Single Institutional Review Board (IRB) policy and/or the revised Common Rule (rCR) cooperative research provision (§46.114 ).
Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol
HCAP Network is a group of researchers working together to support harmonization of international studies using the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP).
Changes to NIH Applications and Peer Review
These changes include updates to the peer review and submission of most research project grants, fellowships, and training grants; Common Forms for NIH biographical sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support; updated instructions for reference letters; and the transition to FORMS-I application instructions.
NIH Grants Basics
Before getting started, learn why it is important to understand the structure of NIH and how they approach grant funding, what types of organizations and people are eligible to apply, what they look for in a research project, and the types of grant programs they offer.
Applying for NIH Grants
Use the application instructions found on this page along with the guidance in the funding opportunity to submit grant applications to NIH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Applying for an R15
Supports small-scale research projects at educational organizations that provide baccalaureate or advanced degrees for a significant number of the Nation’s research scientists but that have not been major recipients of NIH support.
Workshops and Opportunities
NIA Division of Behavioral and Social Research Workshops and Reports
Learn about the Division of Behavioral and Social Research workshops.
Butler-Williams Scholars Program
The Butler-Williams Scholars Program provides unique opportunities for junior faculty, researchers new to the field of aging, and postdoctoral fellows to gain insight about aging research. The program offers a variety of perspectives and includes presentations, seminars, and interactive small group activities and discussions.
Research Networks/Networks to Join
Gerontological Society of America (GSA)
GSA is the oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. GSA’s principal mission — and that of our 5,500 members — is to promote the study of aging and disseminate information to scientists, decision makers, and the general public.
Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association leads the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support.
Aging Research in Criminal Justice Health Network (ARCH) Network
The goal of the ARCH Network is to bring national researchers dedicated to studying the experiences of criminal justice-involved older adults and the drivers of later life health disparities in this population together in a community of collaboration and support. We aim to support new and established scientists in the development and implementation of research through a national mentorship program for junior investigators, directly funding pilot and exploratory research, and creating opportunities for new multidisciplinary research collaborations.
Animal Models for the Social Dimensions of Health and Aging Research Network
The Research Network supports research that integrates animal models into studies of social aging. We facilitate the exchange of ideas, concepts, and data between researchers working on animal models and on humans, provide mentorship and training for new investigators, and support new projects focused on using animal models to improve human health and well-being during aging.