Today’s medical students are tomorrow’s health care leaders. The Medical Student Training in Aging Research program, also known as MSTAR, was launched in 2005, with funding support provided by the National Institute on Aging, in addition to the American Federation for Aging Research and the Hartford Foundation. Each year, this popular program provides up to 18 medical students, from across the nation, an opportunity to conduct 8 to 12 weeks of summer research guided by the mentorship of a UCSD faculty member. Additionally, students participate in a variety of activities that help shape their knowledge base related to aging and teach valuable skills needed to conduct research. Not only do these students benefit from the research experience itself, but also they are provided an opportunity to travel to the annual American Geriatrics Society meeting to present their work. For more information about the MSTAR program, please contact Jennifer Reichstadt at 858-534-1226.

Please click on images below to view our Mstar Image Gallary.


To view a recent highlight piece on this program from our Healthwise newsltter, please click here

MEDICAL STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE NATION CONTINUE TO RECEIVE SUMMER AGING RESEARCH TRAINING THROUGH THE STEIN INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON AGING


Today’s medical students are tomorrow’s health care leaders. Early in their training, many of these students are at a crossroads, attempting to determine what specialty of medicine they would like to pursue, which populations interest them most, and whether or not they would be most suited conducting clinical work with patients or making their mark in the field of research.

Over the last three years, the Stein Institute for Research on Aging has provided research training to nearly fifty medical students from across the nation through its Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) program. Thanks to a grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), with the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR), and the John A. Hartford Foundation as co-sponsors, interested students are provided a unique opportunity to conduct hands-on, aging-related research alongside a UCSD faculty member. Additionally, students participate in a variety of activities that help shape their knowledge base related to aging and teach valuable skills needed to conduct research. By the end of the summer, not only do participating medical students walk away with a rewarding and worthy experience, but they also have completed a poster summarizing their research to be presented at the annual American Geriatrics Society conference. Many also contribute as an author on papers to be published in select academic journals. Participating students from UCSD’s School of Medicine also receive an opportunity to highlight their research accomplishments among their peers at a poster event here on the UCSD campus.

UCSD is one of only a handful of universities to offer the MSTAR program. Each year the UCSD program gains popularity, increasing the number of applicants— particularly from universities other than UCSD—and providing for a really great group of students to complete the program and develop an interest in exploring aging research as a career opportunity. The faculty and staff at the Stein Institute are confident that many of the wonderful students impacted by this tremendous program will move on to become excellent research scientists and fantastic clinicians, working with older adults in various areas of medicine.

Congratulations to the following eighteen students, who came from not only here at UCSD but also such locations as New York, Pennsylvania, and Hawaii to participate in the MSTAR program this past summer, and who completed projects in research areas including neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, sleep, and macular degeneration. A special thanks must also be given to the many faculty members who volunteered their time as mentors.

• John Adams from University of California, San Diego Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jim Brewer, Dept. of Neurosciences
• Michelle Contreras from University of California, San Diego Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kevin Patrick, Dept. of Family and PreventiveMedicine
• James Henry from University of California, San Diego Faculty Mentor: Dr. Dilip Jeste, Dept. of Geriatric Psychiatry
• Neelum Jeste from University of California, San Diego Faculty Mentor: Dr. Sonia Ancoli-Israel, Dept. of Psychiatry
• Kushal Karnik from Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University Faculty Mentor: Dr. Adam Fleisher, Dept. of Neurosciences
• Gerhardt Konig from University of Pittsburgh Faculty Mentors: Drs. Robert Sah and William Bugbee, Dept. of Bioengineering
• Vicki Lung from University of California, Los Angeles Faculty Mentor: Dr. Felipe Medeiros, Dept. of Ophthalmology
• Laura Marrone from University of California, San Diego Faculty Mentor: Ms. Barbara Brody, Dept. of Ophthalmology
• Juan Carlos Mendez from University of California, San Diego Faculty Mentor: Ms. Barbara Brody, Dept. of Ophthalmology
• Julie Nissimov from University of California, Irvine Faculty Mentor: Dr. Gabriel Silva, Dept. of Ophthalmology

In 2006, the Stein Institute launched a training program for high school students, known as HS STAR. This program is designed to provide exceptional, ethnic-minority high school students from San Diego, with a chance to learn and practice the daily activities involved in aging research alongside a UCSD faculty mentor. Selected students invest five to six weeks of their summer to the program. Not only do these students receive a wonderful experience immersed within a research setting and learning about the aging process and interacting with older adults, but to top it off, they are awarded stipends for their efforts. At the conclusion of the summer, students must reflect on their experience by writing an essay and giving a formal presentation to their peers, faculty mentors, and family members. For more information about the HS STAR program, click here.

Please click on the images below to view our HS Star Image Gallary.



To view a recent highlight piece on this program from our Healthwise newsltter, please click here

The Stein Institute for Research on Aging has initiated a new training program to introduce aging research to ethnic minority high school students. The High School Summer Training on Aging Research (HS-STAR) Program seeks highly talented and motivated high school students to participate in ongoing research in one of the many University of California, San Diego’s aging research laboratories. The program provides current junior high school students with hands-on research experience in a stimulating environment. High School STAR is designed to provide exceptional students the opportunity to learn and practice the day-to-day activities of a research laboratory. A long-term goal of the program is to encourage students to consider a career in the field of aging research. Students work under the leadership of a faculty mentor who is an experienced research scientist. Projects available include clinical, basic, and translational research.

Length of the program:
In a five to six week summer session, students join a research group and work on a research project for thirty to forty hours per week. Mentors and students will work together to determine the schedule and number of hours.

Program structure:
Students are matched with mentors based on their research interests in aging. Students’ daily activities will be assigned by the mentor. Seminars and fieldtrips will be scheduled to complement the learning experience.

Eligibility:
The program is currently only accepting applications from Preuss School. Ethnic minority junior students interested in aging research are encouraged to apply.

Stipend:
Trainees will receive a stipend of $300/week for the summer program. From this stipend, students are responsible for arranging and paying for their own transportation to the UCSD campus.

Outcomes:
At the end of the program, trainees are expected to provide a report and presentation of their summer activities. Students will also be asked to complete an evaluation of the program. A yearly survey will be administered to track students’ academic progress after completing the program.

SIRA’S HS STAR PROGRAM – ANOTHER GREAT SUMMER INTRODUCING LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO AGING RESEARCH

Summer 2007 was an eventful time for the UCSD Stein Institute for Research on Aging as 14 local high school students from the neighboring UCSD Preuss School participated in various aging research projects throughout the School of Medicine. This was the second year of SIRA’s High School Student Training in Aging Research (HS STAR) program and to date, a total of 21 students have completed the training, with five opting to participate in the program for two years in a row before heading off to college. The HS STAR program is designed to provide exceptional, ethnic-minority high school students with a chance to learn and practice the daily activities involved in aging research alongside a UCSD faculty mentor in departments ranging from Family & Preventive Medicine, Psychiatry, and Neurosciences to Orthopaedic Surgery/Trauma and Urology. Selected students invest four to six weeks of their summer to the program and receive a stipend for their work.* In addition to working on a specific research study, the students take part in an array of group activities developed to enhance their understanding of the aging process and provide opportunities for interaction with older adults. Activities ranged from field trips to a nearby retirement community and to serve lunch to low-income seniors, to learning about research ethics, the aging of the brain, what is dementia, and images of aging, to watching age-related films and reviewing an aging-related book at a local coffee house. At the conclusion of the summer program, students were required to complete a personal reflective essay and give an oral presentation to fellow students and faculty. Included within this edition of the Healthwise newsletter are some of the highlights from select students’ experiences in their own words.

*Funding for the HS STAR program is provided by the Stein Institute for Research on Aging and private donations. Additional funding to ensure the continuation of this valuable program in future years is currently being sought.

Congratulations to the following 14 students, who participated in the HS STAR Program this past year and thank you to the dedicated mentors, who volunteered their valuable time.

Cynthia Alcazar
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Lisa Eyler, Dept. of Psychiatry

Habibo Amba
Faculty Mentor: Drs. Jason X-J Yuan and Steve Keller, Dept. of Medicine

Yvette Bandin
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Guerry Peavy, Dept. of Neurosciences

César Cárdenas
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Alan Hargens, Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery

Erika Chavez
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Veronica Cardenas, Dept. of Psychiatry

Melanie Dumalag
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Hua Jin and Danielle Glorioso, MSW, Dept. of Psychiatry

Christina Khavarian
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jacqueline Kerr, Dept. of Family & Preventive Medicine

Julie Le
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Alexandra Schwartz, Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery

Alma Medina
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Veronica Cardenas, Dept. of Psychiatry

Thatson Nguyen
Faculty Mentor: Dr. J. Kellogg Parsons, Dept. of Surgery/Urology

Ashley Robinson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kathleen Kim, Dept. of Psychiatry

Dana Sendaydiego
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Matt Allison, Dept. of Family & Preventive Medicine

Truc Minh Ta
Faculty Mentors: Drs. Jason X-J Yuan and Steve Keller, Dept. of Medicine

Kimberly Talamantes
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Colin Depp and Veronica Cardenas, Dept. of Psychiatry

Here is what the students had to say about their experiences: From July to August, my experience here at SIRA never had a dull moment. It is by far the most interesting summer job I have ever had. I am glad to say that today I see the research world with new eyes. The lessons I learned and the people I met truly inspired me and motivated me.

During my six weeks here at HS STAR, my mentor was Veronica Cardenas, Ph.D. I worked alongside Veronica in the department of psychiatry. One of the main topic areas we concentrated on was successful aging among middle aged and older adults… Among the many activities that were planned for us by SIRA, there are a few that really impacted me and created memories. On the educational side, the lectures given to us where very interesting, everything from how the body adapts to attitude to how to read a journal. I am sure that next year, when I am taking AP Biology I will be thankful to have been given that lecture. A second lesson that really interested me was the one on dementia. Dementia is a very common illness among older adults and it is important to understand what dementia really is.

Here at HS STAR it was not always sitting and listening, it was also about having fun. Of the field trips we took, the one that most impacted me was the trip to White Sands of La Jolla. While on my visit to the retirement home, I met a woman who inspired me and motivated me in several ways. In her younger years she was a feminist, and though she was a late bloomer she became one of the first women in the United States to teach business. She made it clear to me that it’s important to meet your goals and not the goals of others. She also stressed the fact that sometimes the best way to learn is when you fall on your face and get up to try it again.

One of my biggest accomplishments here at HS STAR was learning so much about the research world and life. I learned that research takes time and patience. Sometimes projects don’t take off as soon as you would like them to. Research also takes teamwork and communication. Without communication, a team cannot be as efficient or as productive. By taking part in the successful aging survey back translation I learned that research still has a long way to go in the Latino community. In the Latino community, there is a lot of information and data that has not yet been collected. It’s important to change that to find ways to better serve the older Latino adults. My overall experience here at HS STAR was incredible. I learned a lot about the medical world and myself. Before this internship, one of my biggest fears was getting older and losing the memories I spent so much time creating and becoming dependent of others. Here at HS STAR, I learned that aging is not as bad as some of us think it is. Now as the program comes to a close I look forward to what the future holds for me. For my education, I will look into careers in geriatrics that involve direct communication with patients. I look forward to getting involved in more internships to gain a better understanding of the field. Most importantly, I hope to be allowed to return to HS STAR 2008 – E. Chávez

HS Star took me to intern in the lab of Dr. Alan Hargens, in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the UCSD Hillcrest Center. By the sound of “orthopaedic,” I thought I was going to be in the hospital seeing broken bones and dealing with them, whether it would be to amputate or cast certain areas of the body in order to heal the bone or bones.

I found out that I was not supposed to be in such an involved environment, but instead a more researched based environment. Here, I was able to be on the cutting edge of discovery. There were so many experiments going on in Dr. Hargens’ lab… I was a subject for three experiments, which did not cause me any harm. Two of the experiments concentrated on edema, when blood rushes to an extremity and cannot be pumped back to the heart as easily…. The other experiment… required me to be wired up in order to measure my heart activity and my muscle activity in my right leg. I was also required to wear a facemask that would measure how much oxygen I would take in throughout the entire exercise. This was done in order to see how much energy would be expended at different bodyweights. The different bodyweights were achieved by putting me in a chamber, wearing a kayak skirt, tightening it down, and increasing the pressure. The pressure slowly raised my body into the air until I reached the desired bodyweight. The different body weights, at which I had to complete my programmed exercise, were 25%, 50%, 75%, and two 100% body weight…. Overall, I would not have traded my summer for the past two years to the television or any other organization for that matter. I would like to thank all the people who made it possible for me to have such a great experience. Now I am off to college…. Thank you once again – C. Cárdenas

As I sit here thinking of the infinite possibilities of how I can start out this reflection, I realized that no one sentence could justify the experience that I have gained from this program, or what this reflection will cover. I have had the opportunity to be apart of something where I have not only been able to learn new things but also build various relationships.

I was given Dr. Jacqueline Kerr and Dori Rosenberg as my HSSTAR mentors and they were great. They not only guided me in the right direction for my study, but they were also there to give me advice on school, life and yes, love. We just clicked. It was great; we could talk about anything, and everything. They remained professional but yet still down to earth. We were like a family, because we worked together on everything. There was not one thing where each of us didn’t have our input on.

The study that I was apart of was funded by both The Department of Preventive and Family Medicine from UCSD and the Psychology Department of SDSU…. Our study’s main purpose was to increase walking in older adults who live in retirement communities, because they tend to be more frail and inactive. This was a three month walking intervention where we had two types of interventions. Two of the sites were comparison and the other two were intervention. We were mainly in the retirement homes for the first part of the week and then Wednesday through Friday we were in the offices. Both groups were given pedometers to keep record of how many steps they were doing each day, self-monitoring, group lectures, and educational handouts. The intervention group though, had a more individualized experience because not only were they given all those things but they also received individual health coaching, as well as site tailored walking route maps of their area. The intervention sites had more of a focus on their environment and how it can support their walking.

I didn’t specifically have one task that I was assigned to do, because we worked more as a team and what ever one person could not do, another attended to it. During the measurements, what I did was I checked over their surveys to help see if they completed it thoroughly and if they were having any trouble with it. I also helped take measurements down during the recruitment process as well as the baseline counts. During the recruitment part of the study we had to see if the participants were eligible to take part, because the criteria of this study was that they could not have fallen in the past three months and they could not already be active. So we could do a short walking test that would measure their balance. I also taught the participants how to correctly use their pedometers, as well as perform cognitive tests on them. Back at the office, I was in charge of organizing all the materials that were being given to the participants, and did data entry on the surveys. I was also a health/step coach for six participants where I had to counsel them not only in person but also on the phone. I helped them to set their step goals.

I learned so many things by being apart of this study. I had the opportunity to gain more of an insight on aging and how it affects our body and how I can be sensitive to older adult’s needs. For example, I worked with people who had a variety of disabilities whether it is with hearing or eye sight, but I had to tailor myself to their needs. I gained the experience of learning how to conduct a study accurately and all the time and effort that goes into making the study happen, as well as the different variables that could occur or come up within a study that were not expected and how the materials are made so they can be appropriately distributed. I have been able to sharpen my organization, speaking and relationship skills from this study. From working with a variety of age levels from my mentors and co-workers to older adults, it has been a help to be able to communicate on such different levels with them, and now since I have had experience I will be able to take that and apply it to future endeavors. All my newly acquired skills will help me to make professional phone calls and do business professionally. My goal is to go into the psychiatry field, so now with my experience on conducting a proper study and working with patients I can apply that to my career….

When I say the word future, two definitions come to my mind, near and far. In the near future I see myself getting ready to apply to the colleges of my choice and going through the stress of graduating from high school and the acceptance and rejection letters from colleges. But in the “far future” I hope to see myself as a psychiatrist with my own practice helping individuals. You might also see me sporting either Stanford or Wellesley school colors.

HSSTAR was phenomenal, that’s a pretty accurate word to sum it up…. Overall, I would like to say thank you. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to reach out of my norm, and try something new, as well as gain an unforgettable experience – C. Khavarian

During my participation in this six-week summer internship, I have come to learn many factors about life, not only about good working methods but also about life and the pleasures that come with aging. I had the pleasure of working with Lisa T. Eyler at VMRF, where I was able to observe various activities, such as fMRI scanning, data entries, and neuropsych. testing. The main focus, throughout my stay with Lisa, was compiling pilot data for a grant that had to be submitted on a bipolar project. The project being conducted was about the daily activities of a bipolar patient and how their disorder affects their daily living compared to that of healthy people. The overall experience of working and assisting in a research project was amazing, and I got to participate in hands on activities and see the process and stress of completing a grant.

I feel I got much more out of this program than I had initially thought and I also feel that I have accomplished a great deal these six weeks. I have learned a great deal about aging and I have improved my awareness and cleared my misconceptions. I have learned the concepts of researching and completing a project and how difficult it can be to work up to getting any clear data. I have so much more respect for the researchers and all the hard work they do to be able to conduct a proper project for the benefit of the community.

Lastly, this internship has motivated me to keep going and pursue my goals and keep up with my education, so that one day I too, will be able to make a difference. I came into this internship with a set mind to become a doctor and focus on neurosurgery, but now, having talked to distinct people, the research field in neurology has really attracted my attention. I have learned so much through this program and the overall experience has been amazing. I soon hope to return next year and be prepared for new experiences – C. Alcazar

 

Fellowships are a critical element of the Stein Institute for Research on Aging’s mission to develop and apply the latest advances in biomedical and behavioral science to issues of healthy aging and to prevent and reduce the burden of disability and disease in late life. This mission cannot be accomplished without the collective assistance of not only the top researchers of today, but also the attraction of tomorrow’s up-and-coming scientists to the field of aging. These fellowships are largely made possible as a result of the generosity of local donors interested in fostering the careers of young scientists and providing training and necessary funds for research. Four individuals are currently completing postdoctoral fellowships through the Stein Institute. Two are focused on projects pertaining to successful cognitive and emotional aging and another two are working on the specific area of Parkinson’s disease.

To find out more about postdoctoral fellowship opportunities at the Stein Institute for Research on Aging and/or to make a donation in support of these fellowships, please contact us at 858-534-6299 or steininstitute@ucsd.edu

Postdoctoral Fellowships in Successful Cognitive and Emotional Aging

Don and Marilyn Short Postdoctoral Fellowships in Parkinson’s Disease

In July 2007, Ipsit Vahia, M.D. and Jared Young, Ph.D., B.Sc. joined the Stein Institute for Research on Aging as full-time postdoctoral fellows focused on successful cognitive and emotional aging. Dr. Vahia is focused on clinical studies of successful cognitive aging and is currently working on a project related to wisdom, in addition to assisting with survey and population-based cohort development. Dr. Young is currently working on rodent models of cognitive aging, including both the development of appropriate cognitive tests and the conduction of experiments relevant to successful cognitive aging.

As a result of a generous donation by private donors, Mr. and Mrs. Don and Marilyn Short, two additional postdoctoral fellows are currently working on projects specifically related to Parkinson’s disease directly under the mentorship of Eliezer Masliah, M.D., Professor of Neurosciences and Pathology. In January 2007, Andrew Koob, Ph.D., joined the Stein Institute and is focused on the task of elucidating the neuronal populations affected that are responsible for the behavioral deficits in transgenic Parkinson’s Disease models and evaluating the potential therapeutic role of cholesterol lowering agents in models of Parkinson’s disease. His counterpart, Stephanie Lessig, M.D., joined the Stein Institute in July 2007, and is performing a pilot epidemiological analysis using data from the San Diego VA Medical Center about the role of cholesterol and Parkinson’s disease in such a population and preparing a project toward designing a pilot clinical trial using a cholesterol inhibitor.