Research and Education Core
The Research and Education Core (REC), led by Toni Antonucci, PhD and Laura Zahodne, PhD, seeks to enhance diversity in the professional research workforce addressing the health of older adults. Understanding, preventing and ameliorating health disparities in brain and cognitive aging, including Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).
The REC will directly educate, mentor, and support junior as well as mid-career investigators from underrepresented groups. The overarching goal of the REC is to enhance diversity in the professional research workforce addressing the brain and cognitive health of older adults.
REC will:
- Focus on three minority populations: Arab American, Latino, and African American populations.
- Work within partnerships with five NIA-funded centers at the University of Michigan (i.e. Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research (MCUAAAR), Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Center (MADCC), Udall Center of Excellence for Parkinson’s Disease, Pepper Center, and the Michigan Center for the Demography of Aging (MiCDA).
- Facilitate learning and instruction through the Summer Data Immersion program.
- Include three research class levels (R1, R2, and R3) of doctorate-granting Universities.

Dr. Toni Antonucci
Co-Director
Research and Education Core Lead
Administrative Core Co-Lead

Dr. Laura Zahodne
Co-Director
Research and Education Core Co-Lead
Analytic Core Co-Lead