Specific Aims of the Network include:

  1. Build capacity to advance interdisciplinary research exploring the potential for midlife reversibility of or remediation for risks conferred by early life adversity - The network convenes biannual international, interdisciplinary meetings of researchers with expertise spanning animal and human research and a shared interest in collaborative work to: (a) foster better understanding of the life-course mechanisms/pathways linking ELAs to trajectories of later life health and well-being; (b) develop and test later-life interventions to reduce, remediate, or even completely reverse, risks to health and well-being associated with early adversities, and (c) identify resource needs to advance this agenda and devise strategies for their development. Such meetings are essential to build capacity for needed interdisciplinary research; they provide the critical opportunities for intellectual cross-fertilization, to build cross-disciplinary relationships, share ideas and develop plans for new collaborative projects.

  2. Support new research on “reversibility/remediation” through seed funding - Seed/pilot funding is available annually to support small projects designed to provide needed evidence/information to further the overall network agenda, including analysis of existing longitudinal or intervention data and small-scale studies to test the malleability or plasticity of mechanisms hypothesized to be associated with early adversity.

  3. Bring new researchers into the field - The Reversibility Network promotes interest in reversibility and remediation research among early- and later-career investigators by offering opportunities for engagement in network activities, including (a) collaborations on pilot or other projects, (b) participation in network meetings/workshops as affiliated researchers, and (c) funding “internships” with network researchers.

  4. Pursue active out-reach through dissemination and engagement with the broader research community - To maximize engagement with the broadest possible community of researchers interested in questions of reversibility/remediation, the network: (a) maintains the network website to disseminate information on network discussions and projects and the development of interactive resources (databases and annotated bibliography) to support reversibility research; (b) will host periodic network workshops or symposia at various professional meetings that include disciplinary interests in life-course influences of early adversity, and (c) seeks to support publication of articles and/or a special issues on the potential for later-life reversibility/remediation for ELAs, focused on potential bio-behavioral or other targets and promising intervention approaches.

Funding for the Reversibility Research Network comes from the NIA, and the UK ESRC and BBSRC.