Project Summary
This application is for an Independent Scientist Award (K02) from the National Institute on Aging. The
candidate, Dr. Thomas W. Buford, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of
Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Buford has to date established a strong scientific track record in aging and the
preservation of physical function. His long-term goal is to establish a sustainable research program focused on
identifying and developing therapeutic strategies for the preserving physical independence among older adults.
The objective of this application is to provide the candidate with the protected time necessary to acquire
knowledge and skills needed to incorporate two inter-related areas, cognitive health and pain management,
into his existing research program. These areas represent two major epidemics in aging including chronic
opioid abuse and cognitive disorders including mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s, and other dementias.
While these areas are recognized as high-priorities for older adults and are associated with declining physical
function, few investigators to date have routinely incorporated these factors into prospective studies concerning
the preservation of physical function among older adults. Acquiring expertise in these areas will provide the
candidate with a more nuanced view of the key issues surrounding the preservation of physical independence.
Award activities will also lead to and expanded skillset, ultimately contributing to an improved ability to design
and execute research studies capable of making meaningful impacts on the health and quality of life of older
adults. The training plan includes three primary objectives which are to: 1) Acquire new knowledge and skills to
the assessment and maintenance of cognition in aging, 2) acquire new knowledge and skills in the assessment
and treatment of pain in older adults, and 3) advance mentoring and leadership skills necessary to support a
sustainable research program. The research plan is designed to integrate with the training plan to provide the
candidate with opportunities to 1) utilize established data sources to explore novel relationships between
cognition/pain and indices of physical function, and 2) participate in prospective data collection to learn
laboratory methods in these areas and generate novel data in these areas. His advisory team includes
established, well-funded experts in both cognition (Ronald Lazar, PhD; Virginia Wadley, PhD) and pain (Roger
Fillingim, PhD, Burel Goodin, PhD) in aging as well in biostatistics (Gerald McGwin, PhD) and research
leadership (Marcas Bamman, PhD). This outstanding team will facilitate the candidate’s success in integrating
these new concepts with his existing research. This K02 award will provide the candidate with protected time to
expand his research program which will enhance the overall creativity and sustainability of his research.
Ultimately this progress is expected to enhance his potential to make significant contributions to the field of
healthy aging and to improve the training of future mentees by creating a more interdisciplinary approach
incorporating principles from physical, cognitive, and pain sciences.