Get a Bird’s-Eye View of the National Advisory Council on Aging: Next Meeting May 12

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By CEO James Appleby, BSPharm, MPH

May 10, 2021

The National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA), which meets three times annually, will convene again on Wednesday, May 12. Members of the scientific community and public are invited to join the open portion of the meeting, which will take place via live videocast from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. The agenda is available to view online.

I have had the honor of serving as a member of the council and am nearing the end of my four-year term. The 18-member NACA comprises scholars across the continuum of disciplines studying aging. The depth and breadth of council research expertise is remarkable and their demonstrated commitment to excellence is palpable.

NACA plays many vital roles in advancing the nation’s aging research. Council members’ primary role is to serve as advisors. As stated in its charter, NACA shall advise the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the director of National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the director of National Institute on Aging (NIA). The council also reviews newly proposed concept clearances, reviews applications for grants and cooperative agreements for research and training and recommends approval of applications for projects that show promise, along with other duties.

In addition to serving as advisors, council members also serve as ambassadors, providing a link between the NIA and the larger public which it serves. Finally, NACA members serve as advocates for healthy aging through research.

I encourage researchers to tune in. Each meeting begins with an update on recent NIA activities from Director Richard Hodes, MD and a report from the Task Force on Minority Aging Research. Viewers then learn about the latest concept clearances that often lead to future funding opportunity announcements. Oftentimes there will be guest speakers from NIH or other institutes and centers. And each meeting typically wraps up with multiple presentations from scholars sharing some of the most recent research across the continuum of NIA divisions.

If you can’t make it in May, bookmark Wednesday, September 15, when the council will next meet.