Vital Times for Aging

UR Aging Institute News

Welcome to the Fall 2025 Edition of Vital Times for Aging

Greetings from Rochester and the UR Aging Institute! We have had another successful year across all academic missions, and this newsletter will share the highlights with you. I’m delighted to be on sabbatical for the upcoming year, which will allow me to focus entirely on developing a new five-year strategic plan for the Aging Institute. My academic leave will focus on establishing future directions and priorities that build on our mission to promote vitality in aging and elevate the UR Aging Institute to the next level, in line with other premier national and international institutes. We’re making great strides toward this ambitious goal, as you will see in this edition of Vital Times for Aging. Academic geriatrician Thomas Caprio, MD, is serving as acting division chief during my sabbatical.

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Aging INSPIRED! A Vital Living Campaign by the Community, for the Community

Engaging with the arts is a powerful way to promote vitality in later life. The goal of the Aging INSPIRED! campaign is to share this message with the community and increase opportunities for older adults in the Greater Rochester area to participate in the arts.

URAI kicked off the campaign this year with the Memorial Art Gallery at the opening of the Alma Thomas exhibit because Thomas had a long and prolific career, but she didn’t fully commit to painting until she was in her 60s.

Since launching the campaign, UR Aging Institute has interviewed an array of older adults whose lived experience confirms what science suggests: that both viewing and creating art delivers significant health benefits. We hope you enjoy these heartwarming stories, and we invite you to join us for a celebration of aging and the arts on Tuesday, November 18 from 1:00 - 5:00 PM at the Memorial Art Gallery!

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Latest News

University of Rochester Awarded Prestigious Aging Research Center Grant

Vera Gorbunova, PhD, of Geriatrics & Aging, received funding from the NIH to establish the Upstate NY Nathan Shock Center, one of only eight such centers in the nation. The new center will compare the biology of long- and short-lived animals to identify mechanisms that promote longevity.

UR Resilience Research Center (UR³C) Awarded $2M

Led by Kathi Heffner, PhD, of the School of Nursing and Geriatrics/Aging, and Jennie Noll, PhD, of Psychology, UR³C was among four transdisciplinary research centers to receive University funding. UR³C aims to identify the biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors that perpetuate and mitigate stress-related health issues including accelerated aging.

National Award Recipient Builds on URMC Legacy of Advancing Geriatric Care

In the two years since receiving the Geriatric Academic Career Award, Mary Bonnet, MD, has reached several key milestones while elevating the field of geriatric care.

Recently Awarded Pilot Projects

A Clog in the Pipes: Understanding the Scope, Causes, and Consequences of Delayed Hospital Discharges of Older Adults in New York State

PI/Investigators: Brian E. McGarry, PT, PhD, Thomas V. Caprio, MD, and Jennifer Muniak, MD

Funding Source: UR Aging Institute

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Impact and Mechanisms of Translation Elongation in Aging-related Cardiac Disorders

PI/Investigator: Peng Yao, PhD

Funding Source: UR Aging Institute

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Establishing a Multimodal Dataset and Framework for Artificial Intelligence-Based Detection of Frailty and Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults with Cancer

PI/Investigator: Erika Ramsdale, MD, MS, Ajay Anand, PhD, and Hangfeng He, PhD

Funding Source: Wilmot Cancer Institute and UR Aging Institute

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