Stanford Center on Longevity

Stanford Center on Longevity. The center is a part of Stanford University and was established in 2006 with the goal of improving the quality of life for people of all ages through Stanford Medicine and Stanford Graduate School of Business. The center's work is interdisciplinary, involving collaborations with Stanford School of Engineering, Stanford Law School, and Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences. Researchers at the center work with National Institute on Aging, World Health Organization, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to address the challenges and opportunities of longer lifespans.

● Overview

The center's mission is to accelerate and implement scientific discoveries, technological advancements, and policy reforms to improve the health and well-being of people at all stages of life, from childhood development to gerontology. The center's work is guided by demographic transition theory and socioemotional selectivity theory, developed by Laura Carstensen and Paul Baltes. The center collaborates with University of California, Berkeley, Harvard University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology to advance the field of gerontology and aging studies. Researchers at the center also work with American Psychological Association, Gerontological Society of America, and National Academy of Medicine to promote healthy aging and age-friendly communities.

● History

The center was founded in 2006 with a gift from Stanford University alumni John Morgridge and Tashia Morgridge, and has since become a leading research institution in the field of aging research. The center's early work focused on cognitive aging and neuroplasticity, with collaborations with National Institutes of Health, Alzheimer's Association, and Michael J. Fox Foundation. The center has also worked with AARP, American Association of Retired Persons, and Social Security Administration to address the challenges of aging workforce and retirement security. Researchers at the center have also collaborated with World Bank, United Nations, and European Commission to address the global implications of population aging.

● Research Focus

The center's research focus includes cognitive health, physical health, and social connections across the lifespan, with a particular emphasis on middle age and old age. Researchers at the center use a range of methods, including longitudinal studies, randomized controlled trials, and big data analytics, to study aging processes and age-related diseases. The center collaborates with University of California, San Francisco, Duke University, and Johns Hopkins University to advance the field of geriatric medicine and palliative care. The center also works with National Science Foundation, National Institute of Mental Health, and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to support basic research and translational research in aging biology.

● Programs and Initiatives

The center offers a range of programs and initiatives, including fellowships and research grants, to support the next generation of aging researchers. The center also hosts conferences and workshops, such as the Annual Stanford Longevity Center Conference, to bring together researchers, policy makers, and industry leaders to discuss the latest advances in aging research and longevity science. The center collaborates with Silicon Valley companies, such as Google, Apple, and Facebook, to develop age-friendly technologies and aging-related products. The center also works with non-profit organizations, such as Aging2.0 and Longevity Fund, to support social entrepreneurship and impact investing in the field of aging and longevity.

● Leadership and Partnerships

The center is led by Laura Carstensen, a psychologist and gerontologist who has made significant contributions to the field of aging research. The center has partnerships with a range of organizations, including Stanford Health Care, Stanford Children's Health, and Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System. The center also collaborates with international organizations, such as World Health Organization, United Nations, and European Union, to address the global challenges of population aging and age-related diseases. Researchers at the center work with federal agencies, such as National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Social Security Administration, to inform policy decisions and program development related to aging and longevity.

● Impact and Publications

The center's research has had a significant impact on our understanding of aging processes and age-related diseases, and has informed policy decisions and program development related to aging and longevity. The center's researchers have published numerous papers in top-tier journals, such as Nature, Science, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and have received awards and honors from organizations such as National Academy of Medicine, American Psychological Association, and Gerontological Society of America. The center also publishes reports and briefs on topics related to aging and longevity, such as The Stanford Center on Longevity's Sightlines Project, which provides data and analysis on aging trends and longevity science. The center's work has been featured in media outlets, such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and NPR, and has influenced public discourse and policy debates related to aging and longevity.

Category:Research institutes