Trainees

The number of AART trainees was chosen to create a cohort size that promotes cohesiveness and learning among the trainees. This number also provides a sustainable mix of trainees and mentors: there are 29 core faculty members to mentor these trainees, ensuring that new trainees have ample training opportunities. The number of mentors (and additional AART-associated faculty) also ensures that no individual faculty member is overburdened with AART responsibilities. 

Each year, two PhD students will enter the AART program. AART PhD students will be selected from among PhD students in Neuroscience, Biology, or Pharmacology & Physiology who are considering research on a topic relevant to aging. Together, these PhD programs matriculate 20 to 25 training grant-eligible PhD students each year, ensuring that there will always be a pool of students for consideration for 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. 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-reviewed 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. They all have similar admission standards; in fact, it is common for students accepted to one program to conduct 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. 

Each year, two PhD students finishing their first year will be chosen by the AART Executive Committee based on their research interests and the information in their PhD applications (e.g., GPA, letters of recommendation, research experience). Applicants would be informed about the AART program through PhD program websites and again during their interviews for acceptance to Georgetown.