Mor presentation from Geriatric and Palliative Medicine Grand Rounds now available

IMPACT Multiple Principal Investigator Vince Mor, PhD,  discussed the history of geriatric assessment and its transformation into a technology for patients, populations, and research in his presentation “From Geriatric Assessment to Electronic Medical Records: Transforming Long Term Care Research” on December 18, 2025 for the Geriatric and Palliative Medicine Grand Rounds series hosted by the University of California-San Francisco Division of Geriatrics.  Watch the presentation to learn more about:

  • The historical development of comprehensive geriatric assessment and its role in defining the scope of geriatric medicine.
  • How the codification of geriatric assessment principles in the Nursing Home Minimum Data Set (MDS) advanced understanding of frail and high-risk older adult populations.
  • How advances in computational and analytic methods enable the integration of diagnostic, functional, treatment, laboratory, and vital signs data to study physiological processes in older adults.
  • How integrated, data-driven insights can inform the design and successful implementation of more effective interventions in nursing homes and other long-term care settings.

The presentation is available online here.

LEAP! Rx: A randomized trial of a pragmatic approach to lifestyle medicine

December 2025 - In Grand Rounds 61, Amber Watts, PhD and Amanda N. Szabo-Reed, PhD discuss “LEAP! Rx: A randomized trial of a pragmatic approach to lifestyle medicine.”

Speakers

Amber Watts, PhD
Associated Professor
University of Kansas
Director, BRANCH LAb

Amanda N. Szabo-Reed, PhD
Research Associate Professor
University of Kansas Medical Center

Learning Objectives

  • Understand why exercise is important for Alzheimer’s disease prevention.
  • Recognize barriers to translating exercise research into clinical practice.
  • Learn how the LEAP! Rx trial was designed and implemented.
  • Compare outcomes and adherence between physician-referred and self-referred participants.
  • Explore strategies for supporting long-term exercise habits in older adults.

IMPACT Awardee Earns Pilot Grant to Study Dementia Care Quality

IMPACT Career Development Awardee Erica Frechman, PhD, AGPCNP-BC was awarded a Pilot Grant from the National Dementia Workforce Study for her study, Advance Practice Providers and Dementia Care: Role of Training, Preparedness, and Practice Setting for Patient Outcomes. IMPACT executive committee member Jennifer Gabbard, MD is a co-investigator for this study.

Frechman’s study will leverage the Community Clinician survey and CMS claims data to examine APPs and how their dementia-specific training, preparedness, and practice settings are associated with meaningful variation in care quality and outcomes for people living with dementia.

Learn more about Pilot Grant awardees here.

Yale School of Medicine Seeks Postdoctoral Associate in Gerontologic Biostatistics

Yale School of Medicine is hiring a Postdoctoral Associate in Gerontologic Biostatistics for a 2.5-year full-time position. This role focuses on methodological development in pragmatic dyadic study design within embedded pragmatic clinical trials (ePCTs). Mentorship will be provided by Drs. Joan Monin and Heather Allore (Yale School of Public Health) and Dr. Thomas Travison (Harvard Medical School).

Learn more about the position and how to apply here.

IMPACT Collaboratory and NEXT STEPs Network Request Applications for Real World Data Scholars Program

In collaboration with the NEXT STEPs Network and the Long-Term Care (LTC) Data Cooperative, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Imbedded Pragmatic Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Collaboratory (U54AG063546) is now accepting applications for the 2025 Real World Data Scholars Program.

The one-year mentored training program is designed to build practical skills and professional networks for postdoctoral fellows, advanced graduate students, and early-career investigators interested in using real-world data (RWD) to improve care of people living in nursing homes and assisted living communities, including people living with dementia.

Up to four awards, each providing up to $60,000, will be granted to postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and early-career investigators to gain mentored training and experience using RWD to improve long-term care.

Scholars will be matched with a program mentor to support their training, project development, and engagement in the program. They will also complete a research project using data from the LTC Data Cooperative to develop or validate measures applicable to clinical trials within nursing homes and assisted living communities. Scholars are expected to independently complete all analytic and scholarly work.

Additionally, scholars will have opportunities to engage in the activities of the IMPACT Collaboratory and NEXT STEPs Network, including Grand Rounds, training opportunities, and annual meetings that foster interdisciplinary exchange, professional development, and methodological advances. Information on prior Scholars and their projects is available here.

Read the full RFA here.

For more information, join the informational webinar on December 8 (see details below) and visit our Real World Data Scholars Program webpage.  Learn more about previous awardees here.

Informational Webinar

An informational webinar will provide an overview of the program and address applicant questions. Registration is required.
December 8, 2025 @ 1:00 PM ET

Applications

Due: January 15, 2026 @ 11:59 PM ET

If you have any questions regarding these funding opportunities, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions or email IMPACTcollaboratory@hsl.harvard.edu.

Please help to publicize the IMPACT funding and training opportunities and encourage your investigators and colleagues to apply.

 

Using pragmatic trials to address prescription safety in older patients with diabetes

November 2025 - In Grand Rounds 60, Richard W. Grant, MD, MPH discusses "Using pragmatic trials to address prescription safety in older patients with diabetes."

Speakers

Richard W. Grant, MD, MPH 
Research Scientist
Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

Learning Objectives

  • Understand how pragmatic clinical trials improve prescription safety for older adults with diabetes
  • Explore deprescribing strategies and barriers in diabetes care
  • Review key findings from the RETRO-DM and SAGE studies
  • Learn practical interventions for safer diabetes management, including academic detailing and technology-enabled hypoglycemia prevention

The IMPACT Collaboratory Requests Applications for Career Development Awards Program

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) Imbedded Pragmatic Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Collaboratory (U54AG063546) is now accepting applications for the 2025 Career Development Award (CDA) Program. These CDAs support the development of MD, PhD, or equivalent researchers who seek careers conducting embedded pragmatic clinical trials (ePCTs) for people living with AD/ADRD and their care partners.

This mechanism will fund research projects that are preparatory to conducting a future ePCT such as secondary data analysis, intervention development or the development of outcomes to be used in ePCTs. The proposed CDA project cannot include a clinical trial (including pilot trials; see NIH definition of a clinical trial).

The IMPACT Collaboratory will fund up to two Career Development Awards (CDAs). Each award will provide $240,000 in total direct costs over two years, and facilities and administrative (indirect) costs may not exceed 8% of total direct costs. Each year, at least $20,000 in direct costs must be allocated for research-related expenses, such as travel, publication costs, analytic, technical or project support, data acquisition, certified translations, or other activities directly related to the goals of the award. Awardees are required to devote a minimum of 50% effort toward the goals of the award.

Read the full RFA here

For more information, join the optional informational webinar on December 3rd (see details below) and visit our Career Development Award Program webpage.  Learn more about previous awardees here.

Informational Webinar

An informational webinar will provide an overview of the program and address applicant questions. Registration is required. 

Wednesday, December 3, 2025 @ 12:00 PM ET

Applications

Due: January 15, 2026 @ 11:59 PM ET

If you have any questions regarding these funding opportunities, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions or email IMPACTcollaboratory@hsl.harvard.edu.

Please help to publicize the IMPACT funding and training opportunities and encourage your investigators and colleagues to apply.

Building the NEXT STEPs Network

October 2025 – In Grand Rounds 59, Kathleeen Unroe, MD, MHA, MS discusses “Building the NEXT STEPs Network.”

Speaker

Kathleen Unroe, MD, MHA, MS (she/hers)
CEO
Probari, Inc.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the need for rigorous clinical trials and research infrastructure to improve nursing home care
  • Recognize the importance of building collaborative networks and partnerships to address knowledge gaps in nursing home research
  • Reflect on strategies and resources for supporting equitable, high-quality clinical trials in nursing homes, including recruitment, retention, and engagement of diverse stakeholders