Interdisciplinary Research Training in Health and Aging (IRTHA) T32 program
Applications to the IRTHA training program are currently closed. Information about applications for the 2025/2026 academic year will be available in early 2025.
The IRTHA program provides interdisciplinary research training for predoctoral students in the structural, social, and behavioral determinants of later-life health outcomes, and their relationships with the biological mechanisms associated with aging. This training is achieved through a four-part training model:
- Didactic coursework that provides an interdisciplinary foundation in conceptual models, study designs, and analytic approaches in public health and aging research;
- Engagement in mentored research projects, supported by a network of committed mentors from a range of disciplines;
- Training in the use of population-based aging datasets, including activities that connect trainees with other early-career aging researchers supported by complementary programs and centers at the University of Michigan;
- Professional development in the collaboration, communication, and leadership skills essential for productive research careers in the field of aging.
The IRTHA training program is led by Program Directors Lindsay Kobayashi and Briana Mezuk, and housed in the Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health (CSEPH) with the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. The Program Directors are supported by an Executive Committee and a diverse pool of committed faculty mentors from multiple disciplines related to public health and aging.
Graduates of the IRTHA training program are poised to lead productive research careers that push forward the state of science on aging and pursue answers to some of the most pressing public health challenges facing our rapidly aging population.
