External Funding for Aging Research and Education/training Programs
Emphasis on funding pilot projects:
The Sealy Center on Aging awards pilot funding based on funds received from the Sealy endowment, the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans grant (funds 3 to 4 pilots per year), and the Center for Populations Health and Health Disparities grant (funds 4 pilots per year).
Since 1997 the Sealy Center on Aging has awarded funds to support 54 pilot projects. Several pilot projects have produced R01 grants. For example, Elena Volpi, MD, PhD, was awarded pilot funding to work with Dr. Wolfe and colleagues examining muscle metabolism in a project titled "Regulation of Myofibrillar Protein Turnover." Using data from this pilot project, Dr. Volpi developed an R01 application that was funded in 2001. Dr. Kristen Peek is another junior investigator who was supported with pilot funding to examine the disablement process in older Mexican American adults. Dr. Peek has (July, 2003) received an R01 award from the NIA to continue her research in older adults who are part of the Hispanic EPESE sample.
External Funding initiatives:
A goal of the administration of the UTMB Sealy Center on Aging has been to increase the amount of external funding devoted to research of older adults and to enhance the level and availability of educational and training programs for faculty, health practitioners and students throughout UTMB and East Texas. Due to the efforts of faculty and staff for the Sealy Center on Aging, external funding has increased from 4.7 million dollars in 1997 to over 20 million in 2004.
The adjacent graph summarizes all external funding for aging research received by UTMB from 1997 through 2004.