The Gerontological Institute began as a planning grant to study older adults in New Jersey. The study’s findings pointed to the need for leadership in research and education in the field of aging in the Central Jersey area. The Gerontological Institute was established, in late 1998, to provide this leadership and was envisioned as a center to foster and promote cross-disciplinary aging research.

The Institute's mission is:

Although a facility is a future goal, the Institute operates as a virtual program or “an institute without walls”.

The initial period of organizational development focused on building the infrastructure settling on a governance structure that is committee based. Advisory boards, with members from faculty within the medical school and from experts within the field of geriatrics/gerontology, have been established to provide guidance and direction. Interest and support for the Gerontological Institute is strong amongst the faculty as demonstrated by the issuance of thirty-one joint appointments for faculty members of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Rutgers University.

Education remains the most active program area from the list of goals. The Institute has sponsored a full schedule of scientific seminars attracting seminar faculty from throughout the United States and Great Britain. Recent seminars featured lectures on oxygen signaling in cells and Alzheimer’s Disease.

The Institute has also conducted community education programs. Health promotion and the keys to successful aging were the topics of a lecture series offered by the Institute at community locations throughout Central Jersey. A second round on the topic of depression and self-help strategies is planned.

A further extension of the educational mission is the promotion of educational opportunities for medical and graduate students. Geriatric electives are in place for Internal Medicine students. Fellowship programs in Geriatrics-Oncology and Geriatrics-Urology are in development. Research opportunities exist within basic science departments throughout the medical school.

Directly supporting and encouraging geriatric research is another goal of the Institute. A small grants program has been developed with the intention to provide seed money for faculty and student geriatric research projects. The seed money will provide the start to projects and allow them to grow and attract extramural funding.

Our mission is multi-layered and demands collaborations between basic scientists, social scientists and clinicians. The challenge is to make a bridge between basic science and clinical care. This requires faculty, pilot project research support, and the development of educational materials and eventually, a facility for integrative programming. The next phase of the Institute’s development will be the realization of this cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Mission and Vision