Newsletter Fall 2022 / Editor: Cheryl Deep
IOG Leads Initiative to Designate Wayne State as Age Friendly
RESEARCH
Grants to Study Cognitive Aging & Brain Development
Drs. Wassim Tarraf, Noa Ofen and Ana Daugherty
by Cheryl Deep
Major grant monies have been awarded to three IOG faculty researchers. Drs. Wassim Tarraf and Noa Ofen received a renewal of funding for key projects. Dr. Ana Daugherty is co-leading an international collaboration to develop methods to accurately measure sub-structures of the brain to improve dementia diagnosis and early detection neurodegenerative disease . . . MORE
New Faculty Expand IOG Research Themes
Drs. Rodlescia Sneed and Amanda Leggett joined the faculty of the IOG this fall as assistant professors. Their training and research add depth to two important areas of the science of aging: caregiving for Dr. Leggett and health policy, equity and disease prevention for Dr. Sneed. Read about their goals and achievements in these profiles:
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The Community Advisory Board of the Healthier Black Elders Center holds its first in-person meeting since March 2019. Dr. Lichtenberg welcomed five new members into the group.. He
Records Fall as Outreach Reaches Further
– NOVEMBER 11 –
A Meaningful Life with Alzheimer's Disease
Don't miss our one-of-a-kind annual conference that brings together healthcare professionals, caregivers and those living with Alzheimer's into a shared conversation together.
EDUCATION
New Trainees Study Healthy Aging, Alzheimer’s, Hypertension
The IOG welcomes six new pre-doctoral students to its training program this fall, a class with strong academic skills and a passion for working on issues that impact older adults. The trainees come from varied disciplines including social work, anthropology, cognitive neuroscience, clinical psychology and nursing. We welcome: Alexis Campbell, Bradley Dixon, Moyosoreoluwa Jacobs, Candace Ryan, Laura Sutherland, and Parisa Vahidi.
AWARDS & HONORS
Dr. Toseef, as an IOG trainee in 2019, describing his research to faculty judges.
IOG Trainee Now a Beaumont Research Scientist
A former award-winning pre-doctoral fellow at the IOG, Dr. Mohammad Toseef recently accepted a position as Health Economist Research Scientist at Beaumont Health. His doctorate is in economics from Wayne State, and he worked as a Prevention Effectiveness Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the past two years. Dr. Toseef won numerous awards as an IOG fellow, including the Olson award for best paper and the Hankin-Goodman Scholarship in Health Economics.
Insights into Memory Development
Qin Yin, an IOG trainee in behavioral and cognitive neuroscience, won the 2022 Elizabeth Olson Memorial Award for the best paper in gerontology. "Neurophysiological mechanisms of memory formation: Insights from intracranial EEG and implications for the study of memory development," emerged from her work with children who have electrodes implanted to treat drug-resistant epilepsy. This Olson competition, with a prize of $500, is open to IOG pre-doctoral trainees and supports the pursuit of high-quality scholarly insights and practice ideals.
IN THE NEWS
Kathleen Mangi was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease about 15 years ago. Both she and her husband, Jim, were scientists.
A Blow to Michigan Alzheimer’s Patients after Fraud Claim 
By Robin Erb 
The fight to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease faces another setback following allegations that a foundational study into the cause of the illness – the basis of years of research . . .
Survey could Protect Credit Union Members from Fraud
By Susan Tompor
The Michigan Legacy Credit Union is now partnering with Wayne State University's Institute of Gerontology to offer a survey to customers that can help prevent financial abuse. 
VOLUNTEER FOR RESEARCH
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Community Resources
connects older adults with research to combat health disparities
Surveys and questionnaires
to help professionals, caregivers and older adults prevent financial exploitation
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