Collaboration requests

This section includes information about potential partners in ageing research proposals who are are inviting contact from collaborators. It will be updated on a continual basis.

If you would like to be included please email a short profile (no more than 400 words) to j.craig@sheffield.ac.uk

 

STATE RESEARCH INSTITUTE CENTRE FOR INNOVATIVE MEDICINE - Department of Informative Modeling of Health Social and Aging Problems

Added: 22 September 2011

State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine (VMTI IMC) is scientific and academic organization.The Institute deals with the following research areas: gerontology, geriatrics, stem cells research, innovative diagnostic, treatment, health monitoring and diseases prevention, biopharmaceutical research, development of new immunodiagnostics and personalized immunotherapy technology, public health, epidemiological, clinical and social research both in community and in nursing homes, studies of ageing,problems of diseases and some pathological conditions in the elderly, Parkinson’s disease, the medical studies of socially conditioned health problems, rehabilitation of mentally and physically disabled elderly people and etc.VMTI IMC department of Informative Modeling of Health Social and Aging Problems is engaged in research work in accordance with the following research trends approved by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania:

  • To enhance healthy lifestyles in the elderly, especially those belonging to less educated classes, by developing new patterns of prevention and health education which could be systematically adopted by socio-health institutions and mediators as a part of current practices. Health education.
  • Social, economic and environmental factors affect the quality of life assessment in Vilnius and Lithuania; The medical studies of social, economical, healthy aging, health and health care needs for the elderly and old people;Conditions of healthy aging and quality of life; Problems of diseases and some pathological conditions in the elderly.
  • Systemic research. Also, at this time, we are interested in a new research field – integrated computer simulation model or in other words - health modeling.

We had successfully participated in several local and international programs.Our latest project was international CHANGE project (CHANGE Care of Health Advertising New Goals for Elderly people.Aim of the project was to provide the elderly with the necessary knowledge in order to remain active and appropriately extend their working period and life expectancy. Currently we are to pursue the new short program of healthy lifestyle in Lithuania: Education of Healthy lifestyle. A Healthy diet, promotion of physical activity, education of personal hygiene skills. The main aim of this program is to teach and promote people (from the various groups of age) to think and act properly for the healthier lifestyle.

We would be glad to collaborate with researches interested in project on active and healthy ageing, health promotion, quality of life, and well-being, social, economical, environmental point of view.

CONTACT: Prof.habil.Dr. Algirdas Juozulynas a.juozulynas@imcentras.lt  www.imcentras.lt

 

 

North East Age Research, Cognition and Communication Research Centre, Northumbria University, UK

Added:  20 September 2011

Our well established, active research team specialises in ageing research from a psychological perspective. We are particularly interested in examining methods to promote healthy and successful ageing specifically the potential of technology to enhance the quality of life of older adults. We are based in the Psychology Department with excellent interdisciplinary links. We recognise the value of a multidisciplinary research approach and are keen to collaborate with academic and industry partners with a view to applying our research in a way that benefits and engages the older population.

The North East Age Research longitudinal study began in 1983. All volunteers were community residents who were fit and healthy enough to enable to visit the testing centre. Recruitment continued over a period of ten years with the number of volunteers recruited reaching 3384. Over the past 28 years of the study, data has been collected on a number of cognitive and lifestyle measures and the study has resulted in an extensively documented database of information on those volunteers taking part. Volunteers have periodically been assessed on speed of processing, cognitive ability, and memory as well as completing questionnaires on lifestyle and health. The database therefore provides extensive information on health, socio-economic status, activities undertaken, alcohol consumption, tobacco use, diet, functional ability, such as ease and difficulty with activities of daily living, hobbies and activities, depression, and socio-economic status. Data on the size of volunteers’ social networks, degree of dependency, and the amount of help and social support obtained, required and desired, indicate the difficulties that elderly people encounter. Finally, health status, which includes self-rated health and also symptom checklists to identify specific disorders such as heart disease and arthritis, has been extensively collected and can be included in a model of successful ageing.

Within the Psychology and Communication Technologies Laboratory we run regular Design Evaluation Tea Parties which are an informal method of gathering attitudes towards and opinions of older adults on a variety of services and technologies.

With regards to the ERA-AGE 2 call, we are interested in joining research and collaborating in projects looking at successful ageing and the role of technology in achieving this.

See http://www.cocolab.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=35&Itemid=59

CONTACT: Dr Lynn McInnes  lynn.mcinnes@northumbria.ac.uk

 

University Institute of European Studies (IUEE) at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)

Added:  15 September 2011

The University Institute of European Studies (IUEE), a Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence in Interdisciplinary EU Studies,  is a public institution created in 1985 by the Government of Catalonia and the Autonoma University of Barcelona (UAB).  Among the main research lines of IUEE, we represent the ACCEPLAN Social Innovation Research Group.  Apart from its research activity, the Acceplan group has a more than 15 years working for the Spanish public administration to design social policies, programmes and legislation mainly related to person- environment fit, housing and urban design for the aged and disabled population.

Active and Healthy Ageing : Social Innovation : Person - Environment.
Promotion of in-home ageing in Europe by means of a shared conceptualization and definition of a EU agenda of policy and research in this transversal area. In-home ageing is a cost-efficient and highly demanded alternative to institutionalization. But it needs converging conditions for home and urban environment modifications and the services needed to perform daily life activities.  Our exhaustive expertise, not only in cutting edge research but also in policy design in collaboration with public administrations and other key stakeholders in the aging sector, places us in a privileged position.  In this sense, we can help identify the policy gaps from an interdisciplinary perspective and elaborate policy proposals to EU, efficient solutions for a sustainable approach for the demographic aging challenge

  • We aim to be part of a Consortium to present a project to the VII Framework Programme (Cooperation Theme 8, SSH, Activity 8.3: Major trends in society and their implications - SSH 2012.3.1. Challenge: Making longevity an asset for economic and social development) 
  • We are also interested in SiS.2012,1,2-2 Moblilisation and Mutual Learning (MML) Action Plans: mainstreaming SiS actions research. Specific Challenge 3: Healthy and Active Ageing. 
  • ERA-AGE2 - Open Call: Active and Healthy Aging Across the Life Course

Main research areas: specialized in person-environment social innovation, covering subjects such as the development of policies and instruments to improve the accessibility to spaces, products and services for persons with different functional limitations: the aged,disabled, etc.

CONTACT:  Blanca VILÀ COSTA  (Directora del Instituto Universitario de Estudios Europeos),  Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona · Edificio E-1 · 08193 Bellaterra · Barcelona · Tel 93 581 20 16 Mail: blanca.vila@uab.es   Fernando Alonso-López fernando.alonso@uab.es

http://www.iuee.eu/presentacio.asp?parent=13&ap=35

 

Molecular Aging Research, Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Germany

 Added: 9 September 2011

The Haendeler team is mainly engaged in the analysis of cardiovascular aging processes with a focus on four major topics:

  • function and regulation of Telomerase Reverse Transkriptase (TERT) in the nucleus and the mitochondria

  • regulation of Thioredoxin-1 and identification of new interaction partners of this protein

  • function and regulation of Grainyhead-like 3 in the cardiovascular system
  • influence of diet and ultrafine carbon black particles in concentrations we are exposed to daily on the cardiovascular system

Topic 1 aims at elucidating the function of TERT in the nucleus and the mitochondria and the regulation of the compartment-specific distribution between these organelles. Of special interest are the regulatory proteins involved in this process. Another major focus is how this is altered by environmental factors to deduce preventive or therapeutic concepts aimed at slowing down premature aging processes. Thus, the Haendeler group has created mice exclusively expressing TERT in the mitochondria or in the nucleus to determine the role of the effects of mitochondrially and nuclear expressed TERT in aging processes.

Topic 2 deals with the major anti-oxidative protein in the cardiovascular system, Thioredoxin-1. Understanding the impact of environmental stressors on Thioredoxin-1 regulation is essential to prevent loss of this protein, which leads to cardiovascular dysfunction and premature aging. Critical for all intracellular functions of Thioredoxin-1 are his manifold interaction partners. Therefore, it is mandatory to identify new binding partners of Thioredoxin-1 as potential targets for specific interventions.

The subject of Topic 3 is the influence of the transcription factor Grainyhead-like 3, which we identified for the first time in endothelial cells, on migration, apoptosis and aging. Furthermore, it is important to identify and characterize the upstream regulators and target genes of this protein to develop targeted interventional strategies based on understanding these regulatory networks.

Topic 4 investigates the effects of diet and ultrafine carbon black particles, in concentrations we are exposed to daily, on the molecular and cellular level up to model organisms and humans. One emphasis is the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms leading to the known protective effects of caffeine on the vascular system. Moreover, we will for the first time investigate the signaling pathways modulated by unhealthy diet and ultrafine carbon black particles, which evidentially can enter the vasculature directly. The aim is to understand how these environmental influences affect functions and aging processes in the cardiovascular system.

CONTACT: Jojo (Judith) Haendeler, juhae001@uni-duesseldorf.de or j.haendeler@web.de

 

National Centre for Social Research, UK

Added: 6 September 2011

The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) is the largest independent social research organisation in the UK. We run a number of large scale national surveys at NatCen including the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA). We have a dedicated fieldforce of 1100 skilled interviewers and 150 nurses working around the country. We also carry out a wide variety of qualitative and mixed methods research.

NatCen has been carrying out ELSA in collaboration with the Institute for Fiscal Studies and University College London for over ten years and there is now a wealth of longitudinal data archived from the survey. Consent for data linkage to health and financial records has also been collected as part of the survey as well as biological samples and other biomedical measurements. Survey data is currently linked to mortality data, with HES available shortly and work underway to link to HMRC and DWP records.  The combination of high quality longitudinal interview data along with data linkage and  biological samples means the data offer huge potential to look at many aspects of aging in the UK.

The Questionnaire Development and Testing Hub at NatCen was also recently involved in the development of a detailed module of questions around social care in older adults, in collaboration with academics from the University of East Anglia and PSSRU at LSE and the University of Kent. The questions are being included on the Health Survey for England and ELSA and will provide important data on the use of informal and formal care and on how care is paid for and the potential for analysis with the other rich data on those surveys.

NatCen has a series of policy focussed research teams including a Health and Wellbeing team with researchers with a wide range of experience in the fields of aging and health.  The Society and Social Change team specialises in research on social issues and attitudes throughout the life course.

We would be interested in collaborating on projects looking at healthy aging from a social, behavioural or economic point of view and could contribute to projects looking to use secondary analysis of existing data sources or to primary research into the area, using our fieldforce of highly skilled interviewers and nurses or qualitative or mixed modes approaches.

CONTACT: Sally Bridges, Sally.Bridges@natcen.ac.uk

 

Research project: Aging in Minority Contexts, Åbo Akademi University, Finland.

Added: 2 September 2011

Aging in Minority Contexts (AIMC) is an interdisciplinary research project, recently launched by scholars from the Social, Political and Economical Sciences at Åbo Akademi University, Finland. The way in which AIMC would like to contribute to the research on Active and Healthy Ageing across the Life Course is through focusing on the relationship between minorities, ageing and health by gathering new data, as well as re-analyzing existing data. As aging has often been treated as something rather homogenous, for instance in discussions concerning an obligatory retirement age or physical and mental fitness, we propose a more variegated approach to aging. Different elderly minorities face up to majority bias in health care systems, as well as in social and personal relationships – aspects of aging that have not been adequately studied in Finland. The central question is: How do minority groups age compared to majority groups? Is there something in minority status per se that influences aging or is it dependent of the type of minority? What are the factors determining healthy/unhealthy or active/passive aging? The project looks at three minority contexts in particular:  language and ethnicity (especially the Finnish Swedes and the Roma minority), disability , and sexuality (aging in sexual minorities).

CONTACT: Professor Helena Hurme, hhurme@abo.fi

 

The Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology N. Simionescu (ICBP) from Bucharest, Romania, affiliated to the Romanian Academy

Added: 4 September 2011

 The Institute was (www.icbp.ro) founded in 1979, by Prof. N&M. Simionescu that collaborated with Prof. G.E. Palade (Nobel Prize winner). The infrastructure of ICBP comprises specialized laboratories (9), core laboratories (4), central core instruments, central services, animal facilities and administrative service. Each department contains relevant equipment to allow the development of complex multidisciplinary research projects. In addition, in the host institution is in progress (2009-2012) an European Community Structural Funds Grant, (CARDIOPRO, www.icbp.ro) aimed to establish new laboratories equipped at EU standards (genomics, proteomics, lipidomics, cell therapy, cell physiology and pharmacology) that will increase the visibility of Romanian research, the quality of biomedical education of young students to encourage new collaboration with European partners.

Project interests: basic research proteomics of the age related modifications of the plasma membrane and other body fluids (including urine, and maybe other fluids).

CONTACT: Felicia Antohe, Ph.D. Email: felicia.antohe@icbp.ro/ fantohe@yahoo.com

 

Centre for Ageing and Biographical Studies in the Faculty of Health & Social Care (CABS), The Open University, UK

Added: 26 August 2011

The way in which CABS would like to contribute to the research on Active and Healthy Ageing Across the Life Course is through re-analysing existing data and generating new knowledge on the behavioural, social and environmental factors that enable childless older people to live actively and healthily into later life.

The phenomenon of elders alone has arisen recently because of changing demographic patterns. This is a critical topic in the current climate of an ageing population, rising childlessness and cuts to public services. It is important to develop a better understanding of those without children, and the behavioural, social and environmental factors that enable them to live actively and healthily in their later life. There is a risk that without such understanding, models and practices will develop that are predicated on expectations of supportive relationships from children and grandchildren. Currently, there is little qualitative information analysed with a specific focus on those without children.

This internationally-known research group was established in 1995 as a centre for gerontology and biographical research. In recent years collaborative research both with non-governmental organisations and other HEIs both in the UK and across the EU has facilitated multidisciplinary research.

Current large scale projects on ageing and later life in the faculty include: OPT-IN – older people’s use of new technologies http://www.opt-in.si and Transitions in Kitchen Living – the history, function and design of kitchens within the lives of people aged over 60  http://www.newdynamics.group.shef.ac.uk/kitchen-living.html.

Our innovative funded studies include:

CABS research aims to be centred in the experience and aspirations of older people. We have particular expertise in participative methods, involving older people in various ways as research partners and advisors.

CONTACT: Dr Jill Reynolds, j.c.reynolds@open.ac.uk

 

University of Luxembourg- Research Unit INSIDE: Ageing and Life-span Development

Added: 25 August 2011

In our interdisciplinary research group at the University of Luxembourg we mainly focus on the following topics. 1. Adaptation and self-regulation in age and old age, investigating adaptive processes that explain the considerable differences in indicators of psycho-social and physical well-being between elderly persons. Special importance is given here to determinants of healthy ageing and longevity at the individual and social level. 2. Technology and ageing: technical aids (a) helping to realize an autonomous and safe living at home, (b) compensating the consequences of functional and physical impairments or (c) providing tele-medical support and care. Current research investigates the use of ICT to promote social connectedness of elderly people living at home. 3. Family and intergenerational relations: here, we study the exchange and transmission of material and immaterial resources between generations in families, distributional justice as well as the regulation of intergenerational relations with its implications for solidarity, ambivalence and/or conflict between generations. Within this context, a special emphasis is dedicated to informal care and dependence.

Selected Publications

  • Ferring, D. (2010). Intergenerational relations in an ageing society: Emerging topics in Europe. Journal of Intergenerational Relations , 8, 101-104.
  • Ferring, D., Michels, T., Boll, T. & Filipp, S.-H. (2009). Emotional relationship quality of adult children with ageing parents: on solidarity, conflict and ambivalence. European Journal of Ageing , 253-265.
  • Ferring, D. & Boll, T. (2010). Subjective well-being in older adults: Current state and gaps of research. In L. Bovenberg, A. van Soest, & A. Zaidi (Eds.), Aging, Health and Pensions in Europe (pp. 173-205). Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Michels, T., Albert, I. & ferring, D. (2011). Emotional Relations with Grandparents and Received Support: The Adolescent View Journal of Intergenerational Relationships,9(3).
  • Otjacques, B., Krier, M., Feltz, F., Ferring, D. & Hoffmann, M. (2009). Early lessons from the design of tactile terminals for elderly people, International Workshop on Technologies to Counter Cognitive Decline 2009 (TCCD 2009), 31 March 2009, London, UK, IEEE Computer Society Editions.

CONTACT: Prof. Dieter Ferring, dieter.ferring@uni.lu
(further information at: http://wwwfr.uni.lu/recherche/flshase/inside)

 

Center for Multidisciplinary Research in Aging (CMRA), Ben Gurion University, Israel

Added: 23 August 2011

At the Center for Multidisciplinary Research in Aging, specialists collaborate on studies with the objective of promoting health and wellbeing of older adults in Israel and worldwide. The center also heads the Israeli partnership in the prestigious International Longevity Center (ILC) - Global Alliance consortium.
Prof. Sara Carmel is head of the CMRA and president of ILC- Israel.  Our Center is located at the Faculty of Health Sciences, affiliated with the Soroka University Medical Center in Beer-Sheva, Israel.

Professionals in fields such as sociology of health, geriatrics, psychiatry, clinical pharmacology, biology, physical therapy, nursing, and nutrition join forces to further research in aging and to influence policy and legislation on behalf of the elderly. One of the major advantages of this center is its ability to initiate collaborations among researchers from a wide range of disciplines.

Fields of research and intervention have included:

  • Economic aspects and policies of health care for the elderly
  • Socio-demographic and ethnic differences in geriatric rehabilitation
  • End-of-life care preferences and practices
  • Will to live and predictors of survival
  • Risk factors for nutritional deterioration, and intervention to promote nutrition
  • Coping with age-related health and social losses, quality of life and successful aging
  • Studies and interventions to assess and promote quality of life of formal and informal caregivers
  • Improvement of physiotherapeutic interventions
  • Indicators of well-being in old age and new methods for evaluation
  • Biology of aging and longevity; age-related responses to stress and inflammation

These studies have resulted in innovative tools for assessment of activity, cognitive mental and social functions, as well as new insights into safety and driving capabilities, physiology of the aging brain, frailty, and a wide range of diseases of the aging population.

The CMRA welcomes international collaboration with researchers interested in projects on promoting health, function, quality of life, and well-being of older adults on the micro, intermediate and macro levels.

CONTACT: Sara Carmel, MPH, Ph.D, cmra@bgu.ac.il

 


Center for healthy Aging (CeHA), University of Copenhagen.
Research group: Health in everyday life. User Innovation and health promotion (HEL)

Added: 18 August 2011

The research program on Cultural ageing and health in everyday life explores how health promoting practices, products, discourses and techniques are integrated in the everyday life of mid life and older people. Head of the group is Dr. Lene Otto.

The program has the folloving focus areas:

  • welfare technology (medical, monitoring and care technologies)
  • bodily experinces of ageing (mobility, activity, fatigue, overweight, and food)
  • ageing-friendly communities and social participation
  • cultural diversity and inequities in healthy ageing (immigration)
  • user-driven health communication and dissimination
  • prevention and health promotion in late life

Using cultural analysis and ethnographic field work we investigate how healthy ageing knowledge and practices become part of mid-life and older adult's everyday lives and also shape roles and identities as well as body perceptions and experiences of well-being. One key concept is health promotion, theoretically as well as in practice. Our scientific work encompasses sub-projects characterized by a user-oriented approach, which takes into consideration the cultural life of the citizens. A life span approach, because life style diseases and resources are founded throughout life. A community approach, which contributes to user-involving innovation processes in the municipal health promotion targeted at healthy citizens. The aim is to produce qualitative and multi-facetted knowledge of the elderly users, generated together with the users, and transformed into usable methods together with the users. This approach make it possible to throw light on how people domesticate new health knowledge and new health technologies in their every day efforts to improve health.Topics of investigation include

  • The social body: how mid-life and old adults deal with ageing to maintain their quality of life. How they avoid or compensate for or live with the effects aging has.on organ function, strength, memory, healing, bone density, etc.
  • Welfare: how social processes shape research policies on ageing and the role of ‘publics' in this process. In order to understand current problems in today's society and health care, themes like choice, responsibility, autonomy and patient influence, are of particular value in cross-disciplinary exchange of knowledge.
  • Care: the multitude of ways health are managed as self-care in everyday life and in relation to innovation and promotion of welfare technologies which are more compatible with user expectations and perceptions of the good life.

With regards to the ERA-AGE 2 call and the FP7 Health call, we are interested in collaborating on research on healthy ageing in general and especially on social innovation for active and healthy ageing.

CONTACT: Dr. Lene Otto lotto@hum.ku.dk

 

 

Onorach Clinical

Added: 10 August 2011

Onorach Clinical focuses on the unique challenges of drug, biopharmaceutical and medical device development and offers clients a full range of services to efficiently and cost-effectively manage the clinical trial development process.

For ERA-AGE2 Onorach will be looking at Sepsis l, Sepsis ll, and Sensory Impairment.

We are putting together a consortium which will include a consultant from Glasgow Royal Infirmary who will coordinate the group for Sepsis, a further Scottish based consortium, experienced within developing new products and services within the Independent Assisted Living sector an Audiologist from NHS Tayside

For all three studies Onorach will be actively contributing in clinical management, monitoring, data management, statistics, quality, regulatory and assisting coordinators to write the protocols.

If there are any other ERA-AGE2 people that would like to be included into our group please ask them to contact myself at the email below.

CONTACT: christene.leiper@onorach.com, Managing Director
Onorach Clinical

 

 The Research Group on Ageing (GIE-CSIC), Spain

Added: 10 August 2011

The GIE-CSIC (in its Spanish acronym) (http://www.investigacion.cchs.csic.es/gie/) has been developing research and accumulating experience in the past 20 years in various aspects of the ageing process, such as the older' socio-demographic status, residential mobility, quality of life, health, and disability and dependence. Every ageing dimension has been considered on a dual approach (objective and subjective) and combining quantitative and qualitative analysis. The Group has developed over 50 projects and research agreements in the past 10 years, and published a wide variety of papers in Spanish and international referred and not referred, journals, book chapters and books, reports and other research results (congresses, conferences, courses, etc.).

Group members have also designed and created datasets and references bases in human and social dimensions of ageing, and participated in some survey data production processes (IMSERSO, CIS, INE) as consultants, organizers, or responsible for statistical use. The Portal Mayores (http://www.imsersomayores.csic.es) is also run by the Group, as a platform for knowledge transfer, widely visible and well-known in Spain and international settings by the scientific community, government and users in general.

Recently, the GIE-CSIC has set up the Associated Unit to CSIC with the INGEMA Foundation, named "The Ageing Process", aiming at launching the Longitudinal Study on Ageing in Spain (ELES) (http://www.proyectoeles.es). It is a multidimensional and multidisciplinary study, involving researchers from several universities and CSIC institutes, with a number of institutions and public policy makers also interested. The CSIC strategic axis on "Ageing and Quality of Life" is its research frame.


CONTACT: Prof Vicente Rodríguez (vicente.rodriguez@cchs.csic.es)

 

 


Center for Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Danish Aging Research Center, Universities of Aarhus, Southern Denmark and Copenhagen, Denmark, Department of Public Health, Section of Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Added: 5 August 2011


My research group would be able to contribute to the research on Active and Healthy Ageing Across the life course", especially with the research on how biological, clinical, behavioural, social and environmental factors enable individuals to live actively and healthily into later life and to research on biology of ageing and its modulation by diet, physical activity and developmental factors.

We would propose to do this, using data from the Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank (CAMB), which has specifically been established to contribute important new information on the life course determinants of late-life health, and is designed to have a particular emphasis on the earlier stages of the aging process.


The CAMB includes participants from the Metropolit Study (n = 11,532), the Copenhagen Perinatal Cohort (n = 9,125) and The Danish Longitudinal Study on Work, Unemployment and Health (n = 9,938). Each of the three databases has unique assets. The Metropolit Study (1) has excellent data on cognitive performance and socioeconomic factors in childhood and early adulthood, but is limited to men born in Copenhagen. The Copenhagen Perinatal Cohort (2) has very strong data about prenatal, perinatal and early postnatal conditions, but is limited to individuals born at the National University Hospital. The Danish Longitudinal Study on Work, Unemployment and Health (3) is linked up to registers with data back to early adulthood, has excellent data on depression, and is representative of the Danish population in the included age groups.

Altogether 18,004 persons were invited to participate in the study (7,799 from the Metropolit Study, 4,902 from The Danish Longitudinal Study on Work, Unemployment and Health, 5,303 from the Copenhagen Perinatal Study). In total 7,241 of the invited persons answered the postal questionnaire and 5,578 participated in all parts of the study.

The criteria for choosing the main outcomes in the CAMB were that they should reflect early signs of aging, defined as marked aging signs in individuals compared to age-peers. We chose to focus on physical and cognitive tests, self-reported ability and on blood biomarker information. The physical tests included physical performance tests (e.g. chair rises, standing balance) and tests on the muscular, cardiovascular and lung system. The cognitive performance tests measured predominantly verbal function. The self-reported markers on early aging included measures on fatigue, subjective functional status and subjective fitness. The blood analyses had main focus on markers for low-grade inflammation and HbA1c. These markers reflect underlying aging processes rather than only specific disease, they are important for leading an independent life in old age and they are known to predict subsequent disability, morbidity and mortality.

In addition the CAMB includes questionnaire data on health, use of medicine, early signs of disability, fatigue (Multiple Fatigue Inventory-20, SF-36-Vitality Scale)), socioeconomic status, work-ability, work life history, social relations, social capital, health behavior, sleep, life events, and indoor climate. Measures on mental health include questions on depression (Major Depression Inventory), Hostility (Cynical Distrust Scale), Personality (NEO FFI), mental problems and psychopathological symptoms (SCL-90) and Schizotypical Personality Disorder (SPQ-B) in a subsample.

The cohorts in CAMB have been linked to social and health registers.

The data collection was finalized March 2011. The data are being worked up during the summer and fall 2011 and will be ready for use by the end of the year 2011.

The existing life course prospective data from the three cohorts, which form the base for CAMB, and the rich test- and questionnaire data collected for CAMB make it possible to test several overall hypotheses on how early as well as adult life exposures relate to these aging outcomes via various biological, psychological and social pathways.

CONTACT: Kirsten Avlund, Ph.D., Dr.Med.Sci, professor in Gerontology kiav@sund.ku.dk

 

Herczeg Institute on Aging, Tel Aviv University, Israel

Added 5 August 2011

The Herczeg Institute on Aging at Tel Aviv University promotes interdisciplinary research on old age, and is headed by Prof. Cohen-Mansfield, an internationally acclaimed researcher. Topics of investigation include health and mental health promotion in older persons, improving quality of life for persons with dementia by understanding the perspective of the person with dementia, as well as understanding and improving end of life experience and care. Additional specific areas include loneliness in older persons, intergenerational programs, early intervention to reduce cognitive decline, treatment of behavior problems in dementia, and the impact of trauma on old age.

With regards to the ERA-AGE 2 call, we are interested in joining research examining different models, methods, approaches and good practices in societal responses to increased longevity which emphasize both social inclusion and sustainability.

With regards to the FP7 Health call, we are interested in collaborating in research on social innovation for active and healthy ageing (HEALTH.2012.3.2-3)

CONTACT: Prof. Jiska Cohen-Mansfield; Jiska@post.tau.ac.il

 

ImFINE (Improvement of health by fitness, nutrition and exercise) Research Group. Department of Health and Human Performance. Technical University of Madrid (Spain)

Added: 3 August 2011

ImFINE Research Group is a multidisciplinary group with more than 20 years of experience in getting deeper into the relationship of biomedical and lifestyle factors, especially nutrition and physical exercise, with the objective of improving the quality of life of the population. Most of the studies have been performed in the elderly and adolescent population.

Located at the Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences (INEF) of the Universidad Politécnica of Madrid (Spain), research is focused both on epidemiological and intervention studies, related to vitamins and biomarkers, the pathophysiology of hyperhomocisteinemia, blood lipid profile, hydration, supplementation, food fortification and functional food, body composition and fitness. At the Faculty there are a well-equipped biochemical lab and a well-equipped exercise physiology lab.

Head of the group is Professor Marcela González-Gross, PhD in Pharmacy and professor for Sports Nutrition and Sports Physiology, who has a long-lasting experience in coordinating and participating in national and international multicenter studies, like AVENA, HELENA, EXERNET Imserso, HEALTH(A)WARE, etc. We have also experience in developing health education programmes.

We would be very willing to participate in a project related to healthy ageing and related aspects as an enthusiastic partner from the South of Europe.

CONTACT: marcela.gonzalez.gross@upm.es

 

Department of Biotechnology, Norwegian University of Sciences and Technology

Added: 29 July 2011

I am an Associate Professor at the Department of Biotechnology, Norwegian University of Sciences and Technology. My research concerns redox biology and its influence on ageing and age-dependent diseases. In general, I am working with molecular sciences and in my lab we are determining the role of different proteins in important biomedical and ageing-relevant processes (molecular bases of diseases and ageing). In my laboratory we are using biochemical and chemical techniques, high-resolution liquid NMR spectroscopy, MALDI tof-tof mass-spectrometry and other complementary methodologies. The results of our studies are published in leading international scientific journals.

The European Commission has launched call in the FP7 Health program. One of the thematic priorities of the launched call is research directly related to ageing and the relevant approaches (HEALTH.2012.2.2.2-1 and HEALTH.2012.2.2.2.-2). My own research is strongly related to this thematic field and I would be very much interested to be included as a partner within a relevant research consortium within the mentioned HEALTH program and Marie-Curie Ph.D. training network. I am confident that my group experience and our research skills will enforce an eventual project.

CONTACT: Assoc. Prof. Alexander Dikiy; e mail: alex.dikiy@biotech.ntnu.no, Tel:+47-73597863

 

University of Aberdeen, UK

Added: 28 July 2011

We are a group of researchers from the University of Aberdeen interested in joining ageing-related FP7 applications within the health theme and/or Marie Curie PhD initial training networks initiatives. We are particularly interested in joining consortia that aim to submit under the following FP7 headings:

  • HEALTH.2012.2.1.1-2: Validation of -omics-based biomarkers for diseases affecting the elderly.
  • HEALTH.2012.2.2.2-1: Integrative systems biology and comparative genomics for studying human ageing and/or most common age-related diseases.
  • HEALTH.2012.2.2.2.-2: Investigator-driven clinical trials for optimisation of management of elderly patients with multiple diseases.

Dr. Stuart Gray; ; Dr. Arimantas Lionikas; Dr. Aivaras Ratkevicius; Dr. Colin Selman; Prof. John Speakman; Dr. Henning Wackerhage

CONTACT: h.wackerhage@abdn.ac.uk

 

Research in Psychoneuroimmunology, Cardiovascular Psychophysiology, and Behavioural Medicine, University of Birmingham, UK

Added: 28 July 2011

I am an independent Senior Research Fellow and Health Psychologist working in the areas of Psychoneuroimmunology, Cardiovascular Psychophysiology, and Behavioural Medicine. I am particularly interested in the impact of stress on health via interactions between the neuroendocrine and immune systems. I am currently investigating the impact of psychosocial factors (stress, bereavement, caregiving, depression) and physiological factors (cortisol, DHEA, cardiovascular reactivity, fitness) on various immune indices (vaccination response, neutrophil function, sIgA) and health (frailty, metabolic syndrome, mortality) in both young and older adult populations, including patients with hip fracture and caregivers. I am particularly interested in how psychological factors, such as stress, and physiological changes with ageing, such as hormone levels, interact to worsen immune function and physical wellbeing in older age.

I am interested in any projects which would like to incorporate psychological measures into human biological or physiological studies, I am also able to provide expertise on some biological and physiological measures detailed above, as well as statistical analysis expertise.

I completed my PhD in 2005, have over 80 publications, and have/have held 8 research grants. I have a small team of 6 (4pgs and 2 post-docs), a cardiovascular psychophysiology laboratory of my own, and a shared Behavioural Immunology laboratory in my School which could be utilised in any planned ERA project.

CONTACT: Dr Anna Phillips, A.C.Phillips@bham.ac.uk

 

Research group in telehealth/telecare systems and services - Cranfield University

Added: 27 July 2011

Our research group is interested in a services and systems view of telehealth and care for the aging population. Our recent work has concerned: defining the state-of-the-art in informatics and decision support on point-of-care devices (POC) in the home; assessing the current level of health-care services based on of POC devices used within the home environment; identifying current models of information generation and exchange for POC devices from a telehealth perspective; identifying capabilities of telehealth & care systems; evaluating key components of telehealth and care systems; analyzing the capabilities of telehealth and care systems as enablers to healthcare policy.

Some recent publications are given below

  • Adeogun, O., Tiwari, A. and Alcock, J. R. (2011), "Capabilities of Proprietary Intermediate Telehealth Devices", Telemedicine and e-Health, accepted, TMJ-2011-0040.
  • Adeogun, O., Tiwari, A. and Alcock, J. R. (2011), "Models of information exchange for UK telehealth systems", International Journal of Medical Informatics, vol 80, no. 5, pp 359-370 (DOI:10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2011.01.013).
  • Mittermeyer, S., Njuguna, J. and Alcock, J. R. (2011), "Product service systems in health care: case study of a drug-device combination", International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, vol 52, pp 1209-1221 (DOI: 10.1007/s00170-010-2766-4).
  • Adeogun, O., Tiwari, A. and Alcock, J. R. (2010), "Informatics-based product-service-systems for point-of-care devices", CIRP - Journal of Manufacturing Science and Technology, vol 3, no. 2, pp 107-115 (DOI:10.1016/j.cirpj.2010.04.006).
  • Ajai, O., Tiwari, A. and Alcock, J. R. (2009), "Evaluation of the state-of-the-art in informatics in glucometers", Informatics for Health and Social Care, vol. 34, no. 3, pp 171-179 (DOI: 10.1080/17538150903102554).


CONTACT: Dr Jeffrey R Alcock j.r.alcock@cranfield.ac.uk +44 1234 754185


Research Group in Integrated Gerontology: Successful Ageing, Mobility, and Technology

Added: 26 July 2011

In order to achieve or maintain an active lifestyle, personal mobility will play a major and a challenging role in the ageing society. Mobility relies on the person's functional capacity as well as on task and environmental constraints.

The research activities of our group are focused on various problems in the areas of transportation, energy, accommodation and ambient assisted living, product design, intelligent technologies, age related motor and cognitive function, physical activity associated with factors indicating and supporting successful ageing.

We are an interdisciplinary research group assembled of several scientific disciplines: architecture, engineering, economics, geriatrics, health and social science, exercise and movement science. Our research is supported by several funding agencies including the European Community, DFG, BMBF, industry, ministry,.

We offer an online- based continuing education Master of Science programme in "Integrated Gerontology": http://www.master-gerontologie.de.

CONTACT: wolfgang.schlicht@inspo.uni-stuttgart.de

 


Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico "Carlo Besta" (INNCB), Milan, Italy


Added: 25 July 2011

The Foundation IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Neurologico Carlo Besta, INNCB, is a national and international referral point in the fields of neurology, neurosurgery and neuroscience. The "Neurology, Public Health and Disability" unit of the Scientific Direction, headed by Dr. Matilde Leonardi is engaged in the development of strategic planning and policy development in the fields of public health and disability as well as burden of brain disorders, implication of disability in ageing for the EU, for Italian Ministries of Health and Welfare and for regional authorities. The Unit is also leader in the implementation at national and international level of the WHO-ICF (Functioninig, Disability and Health) Classification. Since 2007 it has been a WHO Collaborating Centre Research Branch.

INNCB has wide experience in the coordination of national and international projects in policy development, public health, ageing and disability research (e.g. EU COURAGE in Europe project , EU MHADIE and EU-MURINET projects); is coordinating international and national statistical research of health and disability data ; is engaged in the evaluation of the burden of brain disorders both in terms of disability and research needs (e.g. EU PARADISE project); has wide experience and knowledge of ICF and its utilization in statistics, education, rehabilitation and clinical settings for cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys and in policy support.

Dr. Matilde Leonardi (MD, Neurologist, paediatrician, expert in bioethics) worked at INNCB since 2001. She was a WHO staff member in Geneva 1991-1995 and is collaborating with WHO as expert, she is head of the Neurology, Public Health and Disability Unit and Scientific Director of the Coma Research Centre of INNCB, EBC-WHO liaison, and consultant for the Italian Ministries of Health and Welfare. Dr Leonardi is the coordinator of several Italian and European research projects and author of several publications in the fields of neurology, disability, public health and policy development. She is Professor of "Neurology, Disability and Public Health" at the degree course in Counselling for Disability, scientific director of the Disability Management Course and member of the Bioethic Centre at the Catholic University of Milan.

Interested in scientific collborations in any of the above areas.

CONTACT: Dr. Leonardi at leonardi@istituto-besta.it or +39 02 2394 2511 (+39 02 2394 2521 secretary)

 

 Swansea University

Added: 25 July 2011

Swansea University is currently leading a multi-disciplinary Knowledge Exchange Project called Care in Business in partnership with Bangor, Cardiff, Glamorgan and Glyndŵr Universities, supported by the Welsh Government's Academic Expertise for Business programme and EU convergence funding.

The project is bringing together academia, business, care-organisations, carers and older people to create a vision of care and explore how new assistive living technologies and emerging trends in the ICT sector can be exploited innovatively to meet care needs.

The project was developed because integrated solutions are needed across sectors to maintain older people's independence and quality of life, and in turn support the role of remote carers, particularly carers in the workplace. To date, ICT and carers' sectors have had limited opportunity to work together and learn from each other about evolving trends in their fields. Care in Business is facilitating these much needed cross-disciplinary exchanges by bringing together relevant stakeholders through a series of seminars between 2011 and 2012. The project team are identifying opportunities to collaborate outside of Wales and develop further work in this area.

CONTACTS
Prof. Judith Phillips & Dr. Sarah Hillcoat-Nallétamby - Principal Investigators
Mark Allen, Project Coordinator

Centre for Innovative Ageing
Swansea University
01792 602819/m.c.allen@swansea.ac.uk

 

Architecture for an Ageing Society

Added: 25 July 2011

Architecture for an Ageing Society is a research-team that focuses on residential solutions for the elderly and when private homes become a workplace for staff in care and healthcare.

Department of Architecture at Chalmers University of Technology is the host and the team is part of a research environment Integrative Ways of Residing: Quality of Residence - Architectural Inventions for Dwelling, Ageing and Healthcare, IRAQ. The Chalmers Research-centre for Healthcare Architecture is serving as a joint platform.

The background is the aging societies in most developed countries around the world, combined with the fact that other solutions for housing and care of old persons have to be developed for the increasing amount of elderly in the population. The demographic development in Sweden will have a great impact on planning and economy in the municipal sector, which is responsible for the eldercare. In Sweden approx. 6% of the people over 65 years are living in assisted living. Most old persons live in ordinary housing, many with assistance from home-care. As a result, there is a need for research and innovations in housing areas promoting comfortable life in older age.

Residential healthcare is a new research area concerned with a situation where more of healthcare activities take place in private homes. This is an increasing tendency connected to the demographic development of Sweden as well as in many other countries. The team develops the specific profile of residential healthcare analyzed from an architectural standpoint. This research has dual perspectives in two dimensions: Dual User-perspectives in creating good every-day space for elderly in normal housing and at the same time good working conditions for care-staff; Dual Building-perspectives where we have to add new qualities in new buildings, while in existing buildings we often need to find simple solutions. The project Residential Healthcare has been presented and published in Research-Conferences: Transformations in Housing,Urban Life & Public policy, in Seoul, Korea 2007, in Edinburgh 2008 and in Riga 2009 (Malmqvist, 2009).

Two doctoral thesis project is going on:

  • Use and Usability of Assisted Living Units for the Elderly by Morgan Andersson, MSc Arch, PhD Candidate, explores use and usability in assisted living (AL) facilities. The overall research questions are: "How are the physical environments used, and how do they affect usability in the assisted living facilities for the elderly?"
  • Privatization of Healthcare services in rapidly urbanizing Cities by Joel Msami, MSc Arch, PhD Candidate, in collaboration with Ardhi University in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The objective is to perform the first descriptive study of the Healthcare Sector in peri-urban areas of Dar es Salaam.

Research is planned on interactions between architecture and health and quality of life for elderly. Other research-questions are: How and where can care facilities be designed to serve needs of an ageing population? How can apartments and common spaces be designed to fill the double purposes of housing and care? What kind of improvements can be done for delivering healthcare in existing housing areas? The team have coordinated their R&D efforts in the MPARC Master Programme studio environment.

CONTACT: Associate Professor Inga Malmqvist, inga.malmqvist@chalmers.se

 

The Grillari Labs, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria

Added: 21 July 2011

One of the major challenges that modern medicine and biology are facing today is the continuously increasing life expectance of the population and in consequence the increase in age-related pathologies. Since the changes in physiology and morphology of organisms, tissues, and cells during their life span are still poorly understood, it is of vital importance to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms of aging and aging associated pathologies in order to design strategies that allow for maximizing the human health span.

Therefore, our focus is on understanding the cellular and molecular changes that occur during aging, how these changes affect tissue functionality and on where and how repair and regeneration needs to counteract these changes.

CONTACT: Regina.grillari@boku.ac.at or Johannes.grillari@boku.ac.at

 

Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases Group, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain

Added: 21 July 2011

The Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases (G33E59) Group headed by Professor Soledad Ballesteros is a Consolidated Research Group based at the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid (Spain). The International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) designated our Ageing and Cognition Laboratory (Department of Basic Psychology) as Collaborating Centre in April 2009. The group is also involved in Education Programs including the Ph.D. Honors Program on Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases (MCD2003-00411) and the Program on Gerontology (Master and Expert Degrees).

Our research activities on cognitive and neural ageing are supported by several European and National Funding Agencies including the European Community: AGNES FP7-2008-AAL-1-014 and SOMAPS - FP6-2005-NEST-Path, No 043432- Projects) and by several Spanish Research Agencies such as the Ministry of Science and Innovation, DGICYT (PSI2010-21609-C02-01), IMSERSO (I+D+I 66/05) and Madrid Community: Health and Biotechnology Program on Biomedical imaging (MULTUMAG-CM_ 2006/BIO-0170).

Our main research interests focus on investigating cognitive functions and brain ageing mechanisms using behavioral and cognitive neuroscience methods -electrophysiology and functional magnetic resonance imaging-- as well as effective ways to mitigate age-related declines on cognitive functioning using new-cutting edge information computing technology (ICT), cognitive training, social engagement and physical activity). Ultimately, our objective is to contribute to the understanding of factors that help avoiding the personal and economic negative consequences of long-term care in geriatric institutions.

CONTACT: Prof. Soledad Ballesteros at mballesteros@psi.uned.es

 


Center for Research and Study of Aging, University of Haifa, Israel

Added 21 July 2011

The Center for Research and Study of Aging, headed by Prof. Ariela Lowenstein was established to respond to aging issues that concern present-day Israeli society by conducting research, promoting social policy, and developing educational resources. It brings together experts from a range of disciplines - gerontology, geriatrics, sociology, social work and law. Our projects had been successfully funded through large research grants from the European Commission, US-Israel Bi-National Science Foundation, Israeli Ministry of Science, Israel Science Foundation, National Insurance Institute and more.

The center's researchers conduct studies and publish in the following areas: Quality of life and intergenerational family relations; caregiving; elder abuse; law and aging; elders' human rights; attitudes, knowledge and service use by family care-givers; health and health related issues. Emphases are on cross-cultural and cross-national comparisons. International and national workshops and conferences are activated where research knowledge is disseminated. The Center also serves as an ‘umbrella' for the Laboratory for Education and Research in Gerontology and Geriatrics.

Specific research interests of Prof. Lowenstein and many of the staff: Impact of aging on family relations, health and quality of life of care givers and care receivers; working carers; active aging and intergenerational solidarity; elder abuse; policy development

CONTACT: Prof Lowenstein at ariela@research.haifa.ac.il

 

Department of Pharmacoepidemiology, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the Republic of Croatia

Added: 21 July 2011

The Department of Pharmacoepidemiology is engaged in wide range of pharmacoepidemiological topics, especially compliance (adherence, persistence, concordance) and we are interested to make contact with possible collaborators.

The main area of our research are: adherence to medication, pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacoeconomics and drugs in pregnancy. Relationship pharmacist-patient is very important because intervention of pharmacist can improve adherence to drugs and decrease health care use and costs. There are many opportunities for improvement in pharmaceutical care programs and in the number of patients who properly adhere to their medications.

Patient-family physician relationship is especially important in improving adherence to medication. People are more likely to adhere to treatment if they have a good relationship with their doctor. This communication can start with an information exchange. During a conversation people can come to terms with the severity of their disorder, intelligently weigh the advantages and disadvantages of a treatment plan, and ensure that they understand their situation correctly. The ability of physicians to recognize non-adherence is poor, and interventions to improve adherence have had mixed results. Furthermore, successful interventions generally are substantially complex and costly. Physicians may be able to simplify the drug regimen by using one drug that serves two purposes or by reducing the number of times a drug must be taken, to improve adherence and to reduce the risk of interactions. Considering the pharmacist to family physician relationship, half of the study pharmacists used to take counsel with the patient's family physician if observing problems in the patient caused by therapy non-adherence.

CONTACT: Dr Marcel Leppée, marcel.leppee@stampar.hr or telephone +385 1 4696166

 

Cardiff University, Wales, UK

Added 21 July 2011

Dr Gareth Morgan, a senior health service manager in Wales and honorary research fellow at Cardiff University, would be interested in participating in a project which examines the policy factors that promotes or inhibits the conversion of evidence into practice. For example, it is known that healthy ageing is underpinned by lifestyle determinants such as alcohol intake, smoking, diet and exercise. How is this evidence woven into a connected and cohesive policy? How is it implemented? By whom? How is it measured? What about uptake and ‘inverse care' law?? What about local variations? In Wales, the National Service Framework for Older People offers a policy to drive forward healthy ageing. How does this compare to other European countries? What can Wales learn from elsewhere? What can other countries learn from Wales? How helpful is routinely collected data in performance managing healthy ageing? Is the policy agenda too crowded? Is there a tension, indeed contradiction, between national policy setting and local sensitivities?

CONTACT: Dr Morgan can be contacted: Gareth.Morgan5@wales.nhs.uk

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