The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) use in healthcare and research raises a number of ethical issues related to bias, privacy, and more. This is the first webinar in a two-part series organized by the Research Centers Collaborative Network that will discuss ethical issues related to the use of AI.

In this webinar, the speakers will discuss how potential bias in the data used to train AI models can potentially negatively impact outputs, and how to address data bias. This webinar will provide a general overview of the use of AI in ADRD and Aging Research, and how researchers can address fairness and bias in data for AI models.

This is the second webinar in a two-part series organized by the Research Centers Collaborative Network that will discuss ethical issues related to AI.

In this webinar, the speakers will discuss the use of AI in monitoring older adults for caregiving and research. This webinar will provide a general overview of how AI tools are used for monitoring older adults, and cover privacy concerns in monitoring older adults in the home.

The fourteenth RCCN workshop, “Multidisciplinary Research in Aging/Team Science,” will be held May 20-21, 2026, in Bethesda, Maryland. The scope of the workshop is broad and includes these themes: Multidisciplinary Teams, Early Translation, Multidisciplinary Communities/Geroscience, and Tools and Barriers in Multidisciplinary Research.

Travel Awards are available for approximately 10 early career investigators or investigators in-training, who will participate in a special session on May 20, that will focus on career development. The travel awards will cover travel to and from the meeting, meals, and hotel accommodations. Learn more and apply here.

Updated Application Policies: NIH Administrative Burden Reduction Effort – Removal of Requirements for Letters of Intent and Unsolicited Applications Requesting $500,000 or More in Direct Costs

Effective immediately NIH will no longer request or accept Letters of Intent (LOIs) as part of the application process. Also effective immediately, NIH will no longer require applicants requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs (excluding consortium F&A costs) in any one budget period to contact the funding Institute or Center (IC) before application submission. Learn more here.

Call for Proposals: NIA Interventions Testing Program (ITP)

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) Interventions Testing Program (ITP) was established to test compounds purported to extend lifespan and/or delay the onset of disease and disability. The NIA ITP tests such compounds in genetically heterogeneous mice, first using lifespan to assess the efficacy of interventions. There are three sites that perform the testing, one at the University of Michigan, one at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center-San Antonio, and one at The Jackson Laboratory. The ITP is a collaborative effort between the three testing sites and the sponsors who recommend interventions for study. The sponsor’s role is to provide the rationale for investigating the intervention and to make recommendations on the study design, including the dose and timing of administration. The sponsor will have access to all data developed from the treated mice, will assist in analysis of the data, and will be a co-author on resulting publications.

The NIA ITP is soliciting proposals for compounds to enter the study in 2027. The deadline for receipt of proposals is February 27, 2026.

Information on the ITP and the instructions for preparing a proposal are posted on the ITP website, here. Completed application forms should be emailed to jennifer.fox@nih.gov.

This workshop includes an open call for posters and technology demonstrations. Please see the workshop website for details. Register here.

Business Insider: Nominations for Rising Stars of Longevity List

Nomination Deadline: January 11, 2026

The Rising Stars of Longevity list will highlight individuals from around the world doing impactful work in the longevity space who fall into one of the following categories; scientists driving longevity research, venture capitalists making smart bets in the aging space, and centers giving members of the public access to innovative and impactful treatments.

Real World Data Scholars Program

Deadline: January 15, 2026

The Real World Data Scholars Program is a 1-year mentored training experience designed to build practical skills and professional networks for early-career investigators, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students interested in using real-world data to improve care of people living with dementia and care partners.

IMPACT Collaboratory 2025 Career Development Award Program

Deadline: January 15, 2026

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.

I-REACH Scholar Program

Deadline: February 6, 2026

The national two-year Scholar Program, co-led by Dr. Peter Lichtenberg and Dr. Chiranjeev Dash, will identify and enroll Scholars at the bridges to the doctorate/pre-doctoral level through early-stage and senior scientists (the latter looking to shift career focus) at our hubs and liaison sites. Scholars will be matched with two I-REACH mentors who will advise them during the Program.

Aging Gene Discovery (AGeD) Collaborative NSC Pilot Awards

Deadline: February 15, 2026

The goal of this program is to identify new genes and gene networks that control aging and age-associated disease processes. Early-stage investigators focusing on aging and/or geroscience research (the latter as the study of processes linking aging to the etiology of age-associated dysfunction and disease) or senior investigators initiating new research programs in aging/geroscience research are encouraged to apply. Awards will typically range from $38,000 to $75,000, depending on the complexity of the project and reagent costs, among other factors.

USC ADRD RCMAR’s Junior Pilot Awards

Deadline: February 27, 2026

This funding cycle prioritizes pilot studies examining how social, behavioral, economic, policies, and health systems explain differences in risk of AD/ADRD and/or health, healthcare, and economic outcomes of persons living with dementia. All junior scientists investigating minority elder populations in these fields are encouraged to apply.

AFAR Funding Opportunities

The American Federation for Aging Research has recently released multiple calls for applications for several of their funding opportunities, with upcoming deadlines in the winter.

NIA Demography and Economics Coordinating Center Funding Opportunities

The NIA Demography and Economics Coordinating Center (DECC) has compiled this listing of calls for pilot proposals that may be relevant for the broader RCCN community.