Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) awarded $665,690 to the University of Florida, Division of Sponsored Research, effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866). The award supports the development and implementation of G-CAR2E (Gerontology Centers United to Aid Remote Research in Elders), a mobile software research infrastructure platform designed to capture health data on interfering health events—such as falls, injuries, illnesses, and hospitalizations—that frequently precipitate disability in older adults. The platform leverages smartphone technology and a user-designed research application to enable continuous, long-term remote monitoring and assessment of health conditions and recovery patterns that are difficult to study through traditional methods due to their episodic nature.

G-CAR2E delivers modular assessment tools organized around the geriatrics framework of the 5Ms (Mobility, Medications, Matters Most, Mind, and Multi-Complexity), with each module containing pre-assembled clinical instruments refined through stakeholder engagement. The infrastructure creates a multi-site research network across three academic institutions—University of Florida, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Emory University—that establishes 24 new research collaborations while strengthening 12 existing partnerships. The platform includes an instrument repository enabling researchers to customize assessments and share instruments across the broader research community. Development is supported by a diverse investigator team and industry partner (App Maisters Inc.), with user advisory boards comprising both research participants and investigators to ensure usability and clinical relevance.