Trainees

The number of AART trainees was chosen to create a cohort size that promotes cohesiveness of the trainees (initially four trainees, increasing to eight) and education among them. This number also provide a sustainable mix of trainee-mentor numbers: there are 22 core faculty members to mentor these trainees, ensuring that the new trainees have many opportunities for training. The number of mentors (and additional AART associated faculty) also ensures that no individual faculty member is overburdened with AART responsibilities. 

PhD students. Each year, two PhD students with enter the AART program. AART PhD students will be chosen from among PhD students from Neuroscience, Biology, or Pharmacology & Physiology considering research in some topic relevant to aging. Together, these PhD programs matriculate 20 to 25 training grant-eligible PhD students each year (T32 Table 1), ensuring that there will always be a pool of students for consideration to the AART program. Students and fellows new to aging and AD research will see reasons to apply directly to this program because it adds importantly to the training they would receive only from their programs (section 1). AART adds: academic training (biology of aging coursework), clinical training (Memory Disorders Program), networking (individual interactions with visiting ADRC faculty); and intensive faculty and cohort mentoring on a group review manuscript and individual grant proposals. Other AART experiences are available to all PhD students, although without with the scientific discernment that comes in the AART program (i.e., Biostatistics course; Molecular Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration course; brain cuttings; seminars and journal club).PhD students. Each year, two PhD students with enter the AART program. AART PhD students will be chosen from among PhD students from Neuroscience, Biology, or Pharmacology & Physiology considering research in some topic relevant to aging. Together, these PhD programs matriculate 20 to 25 training grant-eligible PhD students each year (T32 Table 1), ensuring that there will always be a pool of students for consideration to the AART program. Students and fellows new to aging and AD research will see reasons to apply directly to this program because it adds importantly to the training they would receive only from their programs (section 1). AART adds: academic training (biology of aging coursework), clinical training (Memory Disorders Program), networking (individual interactions with visiting ADRC faculty); and intensive faculty and cohort mentoring on a group review manuscript and individual grant proposals. Other AART experiences are available to all PhD students, although without the scientific discernment that comes in the AART program (i.e., Biostatistics course; Molecular Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration course; brain cuttings; seminars and journal club).

These PhD programs have long records of success and are currently very active (T32 Table 1; see letters of support). They all have similar standards of admission; in fact, it is common for students accepted to one program to do thesis research in a lab whose primary appointment is in another department. Each program has many applicants for these positions, averaging 107 (IPN), 39 (Pharmacology), and 42 (Biology) applicants per year. 

In the first year of the AART program, there will be two students chosen by the Executive Committee as we develop the training opportunities for the first time. Each year, two PhD students finishing their first year will be chosen by the AART Executive Committee based on the student research interests and information contained in their PhD application (i.e., GPA, letters of recommendation, research experience). Applicants would be informed about the AART program through PhD program websites, and again as they interviewed for acceptance to Georgetown.