The primary goal of the Aging, Health, and Neuroscience (AHN) cluster is to foster interdisciplinary research excellence to generate high-quality scholarship that bears on issues essential to the health and wellbeing of the population. At the core of the collective interests of the cluster members is a desire to enable long and healthy lives. These issues form the essential mission of the National Institute of Health: “to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life and reduce illness and disability.” The AHN cluster takes a biopsychosocial approach that capitalizes on three pillars of strength on campus: The Aging Studies Institute (ASI), health research, and the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Group (ING).
The AHN cluster expands the reach of these areas by building bridges that are:
- Facilitating the development of excellent and fundable research programs across areas of established strength at SU (e.g. gerontology, neuroscience, behavioral health) and developing niche areas (e.g. population health, sports and health, and cancer).
- Fostering synergistic, multidisciplinary approaches to science, as a stepping stone to the successful securing of NIH funding including interdisciplinary training and center grants.
- Encouraging SU research center and institute development.
- Enhancing the student experience across multiple schools and colleges in various disciplines as well as interdisciplinary programs such as the Gerontology Minor, Graduate Certificate of Population Health and Aging, Neuroscience Integrated Learning Major, and Neuroscience Graduate Concentration.
Primary contact: Janet Wilmoth, Sociology (Cluster Lead; Aging Lead)
Sandra Hewett, Biology (Neuroscience Lead)
Aesoon Park , Psychology (Behavioral Health Lead)
Natalie Russo , Psychology (Neuroscience Co-Lead)
Shannon Monnat, Sociology (Population Heath Lead)
Brooks Gump, Public Health (Sport and Health Lead)
Katherine McDonald, Public Health (Sport and Health Co-Lead)
Melissa Pepling, Biology (Cancer Lead)
Cluster Hires: Asif Salekin, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science; Jun Li, PAIA; Jillian Scheer, Psychology; Katherine Kidwell, Psychology; Jeff Zemla, Psychology; Catherine Garcia, Human Development and Family Sciences; Kylie Harmon, Exercise Science; Jeewon Oh, Psychology
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