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In an era when cutbacks in federal research dollars jeopardize the careers of many promising investigators working to understand how aging influences disease, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has opened a new Florida Affiliate and has already attracted significant support from AvMed Health Plans.
"As a Florida-based and Florida-focused company, we are proud to support the work of AFAR Florida," said Ed Hannum, AvMed's president. "Our mission is very much aligned with the goals of AFAR Florida - that is, to improve the health and quality of life of Floridians. We believe aging research is essential to understanding the underlying causes of many diseases prevalent among seniors and we support AFAR's efforts to reduce the suffering and ultimately, the healthcare costs associated with these diseases."
Since its founding, AFAR has supported the science of healthier aging by providing critical start-up grants to promising young researchers, many of whose findings are dramatically changing both our understanding and the practice of medicine.
According to one AFAR Florida researcher, Dave Morgan, Ph.D., who directs the Alzheimer Research Laboratory and Basic Neuroscience Research at the University of South Florida in Tampa, "Almost without exception, AFAR picks the winners. AFAR identifies those scientists who are truly committed - the top 20% that will go on to have highly productive research careers. AFAR has found a special niche by maximizing the use of its funds, moving young scientists into academic research careers."
Another AFAR investigator, Chad A. Dickey, Ph.D., now an assistant professor at USF's Johnnie B. Byrd Sr. Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute, stated, "AFAR is one of the few organizations that realizes that an emphasis on basic science is not only essential, but the key to building the foundation for the future. Many of today's advances in heart disease and cancer treatments were made possible because of an emphasis on basic science."
AFAR-supported investigators study a broad range of biomedical and clinical topics including the role of estrogen in the development of osteoporosis, the genetic factors associated with Alzheimer's disease, the effects of nutrition and exercise on the aging process, and much more.
To support this worthy charity, visit
www.afarfl.org, or contact Susan Lichtman, regional director, susan@afar.org, 305-598-1115.
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