As the world waits anxiously for a vaccine that will protect against the novel coronavirus, questions remain about the mechanisms and effectiveness of anticipated vaccines, especially for older adults. To understand the potential of COVID-19 vaccines for older adults, we must first understand how the immune system ages and how this impacts vaccine effectiveness. This free, one-hour webinar will explore:
-Why the immune system is key to vaccine effectiveness
-What we know about how the human immune system ages
-How has a geroscience-perspective advanced our understanding of the aging immune system
-What we have learned (and have not learned) about the immune system and aging from animal models in the lab and human trials
-What our understanding of shingles, flu and pneumonia vaccines tells us about challenges for COVID-19 vaccines
Presenters will include: Janko Nikolich, MD PhD, Department Health and Professor of Immunobiology and Co-Director at Arizona Center on Aging; Jenna Bartley, PhD, Assistant Professor, Center on Aging UConn Health The conversation will be moderated by Steven N. Austad, PhD, AFAR Senior Scientific Director, with John Feather, PhD, CEO, Grantmakers in Aging. The audience was be invited to ask their questions in a 30-minute Q&A. This webinar is hosted by the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) and Grantmakers in Aging (GIA) with promotional support from Research Centers Collaborative Network (RCCN) and Next Avenue This webinar is the first in a 2-part series on COVID-19 vaccines. More information on a COVID-19 vaccines-specific webinar will be announced soon.
