51st Annual Meeting of the American Aging Association - We are requesting funds to support the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Aging Association (AGE) that will
take place on June 5-10, 2023 in Oklahoma City, OK. The 51st Annual AGE Meeting will be held in conjunction
with a Nathan Shock Centers of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging Symposium (June 6). Since its first
conference in 1971, the American Aging Association has been the only scientific society in the United States
focused solely on the biology of aging. The annual AGE meeting is one of the premier meetings in
biogerontological research and serves as a critical mechanism by which AGE advances its mission to promote
biomedical aging studies that target increasing the functional life span of humans, to keep the public informed
on these activities, to increase knowledge of biogerontology among health care professionals, and to foster the
scientific and professional career development of AGE trainees and scientific members. The primary goal of the
conference is to convene senior and junior scientists in a forum where the latest discoveries in aging research
are discussed and debated, to highlight exciting new research in the field, and to promote the emergence of new
ideas and collaborative activities among participants. The theme for the AGE 51st annual meeting is “The
Evolution of Aging Research –How the Past and Present Direct Us to the Future”. The invited speakers include
prominent established scientists, early career investigators, and trainees, all of whom will be selected based on
the quality and impact of their science. We have planned 9 non-competing oral sessions that will be held along
with three special lectures, one of which will be open to the general public. Fostering the next generation of
biogerontologists is a primary goal of the society; therefore, one of the sessions will be organized in its entirety
by the Trainee Chapter of AGE. In addition, we have chosen to have two speakers in each of the sessions as
early career investigators or trainees selected from submitted abstracts. Two poster sessions are planned that
will not compete with oral presentations. Abstracts will be reviewed and scored and the top 40 poster presenters
will be given the opportunity to present their posters in a two-minute oral “poster pitch” during the regular
sessions. Gender parity will be achieved and approximately 50% of all speakers will be early career or trainees
and we will have at least 20% from underrepresented minority groups. We expect that the meeting will be held
in person with a live-streamed virtual component. . AGE has experience with both fully virtual and hybrid
meetings, and will be prepared to switch to an entirely virtual format if the need arises. We will adhere to
established meeting guidelines, including ensuring that day care opportunities and special need access are
provided.