Assistant Professor of Medicine in Cardiology Jay Edelberg has been awarded a Paul Beeson Physician Faculty Scholarship in Aging. Named after esteemed American Physician Paul Beeson, the Beeson Scholarships recognize oustanding investigators in aging and is the largest privately funded program for this purpose in the United States (see www.beeson.org). The Program is supported by the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Alliance for Aging Research, and administered by the American Federation for Aging Research which was founded by Weill Cornell Physician Irving Sherwood Wright.

The three year program provides a $450,000 award for the country's most prominent scientists in aging to conduct a program of research, teaching, and clinical care. Dr. Edelberg's innovative work involves molecular factors controlling the senesence of angiogensis. Thus, his research has profound implications for the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease, which remains the most common cause of death among older adults.

Another important feature of the Beeson Scholarship is explicit mentorship of the candidate. Dr. Edelberg's Beeson mentors are Department of Medicine Chairman Dr. Ralph Nachman, an international expert on vascular biology, and Dr. Ron Adelman, The Director of the Weill Cornell Center for Aging Research and Clinical Care. Dr. Adelman will provide geriatric medicine content mentorship to Dr. Edelberg, and assist with his integration in the Center's growing activities including the launching of a series of translational seminars in aging research. Dr. Edelberg has also served as mentor to medical students in the Center's Summer Geriatric Scholars Program funded by the Samuels Foundation.

He is the third Weill Cornell faculty member to receive this honor; other Beeson Scholars include Assistant Professor of Neurology Dr. Gunnar Gouras and Associate Professor of Medicine in Geriatrics Dr. Mark Lachs.