Clin-STAR Mission
To advance transdisciplinary research, training and career development in aging
Substantial human capital investments by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and private partners have led to a growing number of clinician-scientists in aging research from a diverse array of specialties and disciplines. The need is particularly acute for emerging investigators with limited backgrounds in aging/geriatrics research, those from institutions that lack robust aging/geriatrics research programs and/or mentorship, and others who are based at institutions with access to vulnerable populations of older persons.
Clin-STAR is a national platform that fosters scientific and research knowledge, offers opportunities for networking and collaboration, mentoring and career development support, and advances transdisciplinary research.
The Clin-STAR Coordinating Center organizes activities and provide resources for the cultivation, connection, and synergy of clinician-scientists in aging research from disparate specialties across the US to address these needs.
Organizational Structure
Executive Committee
Thomas Gill, MD
Principal Investigator
Chair, Leadership Core
Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology and Investigative Medicine at Yale
Kristine Yaffe, MD
Principal Investigator
Chair, Mentoring and Career Development Core
Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology and Epidemiology at UCSF
Jeremy Walston, MD *
Principal Investigator
Chair, Research and Dissemination Core
Professor of Geriatric Medicine and Deputy Director of the Division of Geriatric Medicine at Johns Hopkins
Odette van der Willik
Principal Investigator, National Program Office
Deputy Director and Director of Grant Programs at AFAR
Stephanie Lederman, EdM
Co-Investigator, National Program Office
Executive Director at AFAR
Laura Major, DrPH
NIA’s Scientific Officer for Clin-STAR
Training Officer in the Office of Strategic Extramural Programs (OSEP), NIA
*Dr. Jeremy Walston passed away on June 10, 2025; click here for more information.
National Program Office
The American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) serves as the Clin-STAR administrative unit, providing organizational and administrative structure conducive for ensuring collaboration and interaction among the three Cores and three Academic Resource Centers.
Andrea N. Sherman, MS
Senior Program Officer, Clin-STAR
With an extensive background in geriatrics program management, Andrea manages the varied Clin-STAR program initiatives for the National Program Office. She works with the Core leaders and committees developing and executing grant activities including meeting planning, pilot grants, research interest groups, mentoring opportunities, and publication initiatives.
Sabrina Isaacs
As Program Associate at AFAR, Sabrina works on NIA-sponsored programs. For Clin-STAR, she is responsible for the Clin-STAR database, website management, social media, and many other communications activities.
External Advisory Committee
University of Pennsylvania
Harvard Medical School
Vanderbilt University
Lifebridge Health System
University of Connecticut
American Geriatrics Society
University of Alabama
University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Washington
Endocrinology
Geriatrics and Delirium
Neuropsychology
Geriatric Surgery
Geriatric Medicine
Chief Executive Officer
Nursing and End of Life Care
Emergency Medicine
Geriatric Psychiatry
Cores
Development and design of all Clin-STAR activities are overseen by the Cores. The Cores support interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary expertise in many content and research design areas, and inclusion of investigators and trainees from multiple institutions across the country.
Academic Resource Centers
The Clin-STAR Academic Resource Centers have expertise in complementary areas of aging research and will provide infrastructure support to each of the Cores. The Resource Centers have outstanding records of career development and training in aging research and house several NIA Center Programs like Pepper, Roybal, ADRC, RCMAR.
The Clin-STAR Academic Resource Centers are located at Yale School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.