The UCSF Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) invites applications for its Research Education Component (REC) training program.
The REC is a professional development program designed to support emerging and early independent investigators pursuing research in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). The program is open to qualified individuals regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity, national origin, or other protected identities.
Eligible applicants include postdoctoral fellows preparing to transition to their first faculty position, as well as more advanced scholars who already hold faculty appointments and may have existing grant support (such as an NIH K award or equivalent) and are transitioning to independent investigator roles.
Each selected scholar will receive a $10,000 stipend to support research-related activities and will participate in a 12-month program that integrates didactic instruction with applied skill development, including leadership training. Core topics include health economics, global health, social determinants of health, health policy, biomarker research, and models of neurodegeneration. Scholars also receive structured mentorship from basic science and clinical research faculty to support research design, collaboration, resource identification, and career development.
The REC is directed by Aimee Kao MD, PhD; Howard Rosen, MD; Elena Tsoy, PhD; and Kristine Yaffe, MD. Together, the faculty directors bring extensive experience in mentorship and a broad range of disciplinary and methodological expertise.
The program collaborates with multiple UCSF initiatives focused on aging and research education, including the Claude D. Pepper Older American Independence Centers, the Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research, the Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, and the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), as well as Alzheimer’s Disease Centers nationwide. These partnerships support advancing and sustaining opportunity for all by broadening access to research training and professional development.
The REC welcomes applications from individuals across medical, scientific, and health-related disciplines who are committed to advancing ADRD research. Applicants may describe in their personal statements how their experiences, interests, and professional goals align with the mission of the program and how they have demonstrated resilience, perseverance, or proactive pursuit of career development opportunities.
Apply to the Research Education Component (REC)
Application materials must include:
- A personal statement describing their research background and interests
- Current CV
Applications are due March 1, 2026. The REC Executive Committee will review applications in early March, conduct interviews in March and April, and notify selected scholars by May 1 for a program start date of July 1.
For additional information, contact [email protected].