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SER Workshop Announcement:
Practical coding to address the reproducibility crisis
Presenters: Scott Zimmerman (Boston University & University of California San Francisco) and Erin Ferguson (University of California San Francisco)
June 10, 2025, 1:00pm – 5:00pm ET
Boston MA
Join us at the Society for Epidemiologic Research annual meeting 2025 in Boston, where we will discuss multiverse analysis, one of the triangulation methods we are using for TIME-AD.
Workshop description:
While replication of results is an essential component of the scientific method, recent work has shown that many findings can not be reproduced. In this context, approaches allowing for rigorous evaluation of how analytic decisions affect estimates are needed. Proposed approaches (e.g. multiverse analyses, multidimensional sensitivity analyses, and simulations sampling from a parameter space) require specifying and iterating over hundreds or thousands of analysis options, models, or datasets. However, little guidance has been provided for how to write and organize code to efficiently iterate over large numbers of specifications.
Using multiverse analysis to investigate how different specifications of eligibility criteria, exposure definition, and covariate sets affect estimates in an applied example in BRFSS, we will provide a framework and example R code for conducting and visualizing analyses where the researcher would like to iterate over many analysis specifications.
Building on R fundamentals, participants will write efficient code to iterate over analytic decisions, yielding organized results. After this workshop, participants will better understand intermediate coding concepts (parallel computing, functions, and loops), efficiently structure code, and successfully complete a multiverse analysis from start (design) to finish (visualization). These skills will improve reproducibility of code and understanding of how analytic decisions impact scientific conclusions.
Evidence Integration Approaches Based on Data Harmonization and Synthetic Data Sets
Evidence Integration Approaches Based on Data Harmonization and Synthetic Data Sets
21st Advanced Psychometric Methods in Cognitive Aging (ΨMCA) Research Conference
August 10 – August 15, 2025
We are accepting applications for the 21st conference on the application of modern psychometric and statistical methods in cognitive aging research. We are planning an in-person conference at Granlibakken Conference Center at Tahoe City, CA for August 10-15, 2025, with a virtual workgroup report and wrap-up session a few months later.
Theme: Integrating findings from multiple data sources is essential for advancing research on cognitive aging and dementia. However, inconsistencies in measurement across studies and restrictions on data access often create major barriers to evidence synthesis. This workshop will explore innovative strategies to overcome these challenges, focusing on two key approaches: data harmonization and synthetic data generation. This workshop will introduce practical tools for combining data from different studies, even when the measurements are not identical. We will cover techniques to make data from different sources more comparable (harmonization) and ways to generate realistic but artificial datasets (synthetic data) to help researchers overcome barriers related to privacy, missing measures, and statistical power. These approaches can improve data sharing and support stronger, more inclusive research on cognitive aging. With increasing computational power, the ability to simulate, synthesize, and harmonize data has become an essential skill for dementia research. This workshop will provide hands-on training in these techniques, using real-world datasets.
The deadline for submitting applications to participate in workgroups is Friday, February 28, 2025. Notification of acceptance will occur by Friday, April 4, 2025.
To submit an application to attend the 2025 meeting, please complete the REDCap application form at: https://mrprcbcw.hosts.jhmi.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=EH98XTX9RP3DJ88N.
Congratulations to TIME-AD MPI Dr. Jacqueline Torres and Co-Investigator Dr. Elizabeth Rose Mayeda on being awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers early in their careers. Check out this link for more info!
MELODEM 2025 Annual Conference
Applications to participate in this year's MELODEM Annual In-Person Meeting are now open! It will be held in St. James Hotel in Red Wing, MN from Monday, June 23rd to Friday, June 27th, 2025. St. James hotel is a wondrous destination along the iconic Mississippi River. Additionally, its historical atmosphere and proximity to the Minneapolis Saint Paul International Airport makes it a great location for our meeting!
The meeting will follow a 2-part format, as in previous years: (1) a series of presentations with extensive discussion, from Monday, June 23rd to Wednesday, June 25th; and (2) a hands-on data workshop, involving a subset of participants from Wednesday, June 25th to Friday, June 27th. Additional details are embedded within the application form.
To apply to participate, please fill out the form below by Monday, January 27th, 2025, 11:59pm US Pacific Time.
AAIC Abstract Submissions
The deadline for AAIC abstract submissions is January 27th! AAIC offers unparalleled exposure for your research across the field. Submit your abstract or session proposal for the opportunity to feature your work among thousands of abstracts submitted on the latest dementia research. Highlight your work in front of dementia researchers from around the globe and bring key opinion leaders together to impact the future of the field. Click this link for submission information!
TIME-AD Co-Investigator Dr. Cynthia Campbell presenting at NIAA webinar:
How Does Alcohol Impact the Lives of Older Adults – And What Can We Do About It?
Tuesday, December 3, 2024
9:00–10:00 a.m. PT
As the population of older adults 65 and above expands rapidly, so do the rates of alcohol use and misuse among people within this age group. The body changes as we age, and these changes render people more susceptible to some of the harms that stem from alcohol use. While the percentage of people ages 65+ who consume alcohol each month increased by 16% between 2002-2019, due to the size of the aging Baby Boomer cohort, the actual number of drinkers in that age group increased 80% during that time. These data highlight the need for early intervention and a broad discussion on what we can do to prevent further upward trends.
This webinar will feature three presentations:
· Trends in Alcohol Use Among Older Adults: Katherine Keyes, PhD, Columbia University
· What are the Impacts of Alcohol Use in Older Adults: Sara Jo Nixon, PhD, University of Florida
· What Can We Do About It? Cynthia Campbell, PhD, University of California, San Francisco/Kaiser Permanente Northern California Derek Satre, PhD, University of California, San Francisco
NIH Videocast will present the webinar at https://videocast.nih.gov/watch=5523
Kaiser Premanente Division of Research October 8, 2024
“This is an exciting opportunity to use data from a variety of complimentary sources to better understand the associations between these risk factors — which we already know how to address — and dementia risk,” Gilsanz said.
Read more at: Innovative approaches to prevent dementia funded by $28.8 million federal grant - Kaiser Permanente Division of Research
Boston University School of Public Health September 27, 2024