Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center

Upcoming Events

  • Why We Die: The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality

    Tuesday, October 14, 2025
    4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
    Allan Rosenfield Building, 722 W. 168 St., New York, NY 10032 8th Floor Auditorium
    • Basic Health Sciences
    • AI
    • College of Physicians and Surgeons
    • Healthcare
    • Mailman School of Public Health
    • Natural Sciences
    • Research
    • Artificial Intelligence
    REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Please register at this link. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2025, 4:00-5:30 PM ET – DISTINGUISHED LECTURE CO-PRESENTED BY VIBRE & THE COLUMBIA AGING CENTER Why We Die: The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality Venki Ramakrishnan Nobel Laureate in Chemistry (2009); Former President of the Royal Society; Group Leader, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, England LOCATION: Rosenfield Building, 722 W. 168th Street, 8th Floor Auditorium   This lecture, by Nobel laureate in Chemistry Venki Ramakrishnan, PhD, is co-sponsored by The Vagelos Institute for Biomedical Research Education (VIBRE, https://www.gsas.cuimc.columbia.edu/vagelos-institute-phd-pathway) and the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center (aging.columbia.edu). Additionally, this in-person lecture launches a new virtual seminar series offered by the Columbia Aging Center about AI + Healthy Longevity. The rise of artificial intelligence is set to transform health research, offering unprecedented opportunities for innovation, accuracy, and efficiency. As AI becomes more deeply integrated into research and healthcare, its applications hold the power to unlock new ways of improving health outcomes across the life course – particularly in later life. From predicting risks to preventing disease and preserving function, the use of AI to promote healthy longevity is only just beginning.  Yet alongside these opportunities come important challenges: ensuring data quality, promoting transparency, and addressing ethical concerns.  The Columbia Aging Center’s 2025–2026 virtual seminar series, AI + Healthy Longevity, will spotlight these critical issues. Through cutting-edge talks by leading experts – from population health to medical sciences –this series will explore how AI is shaping the future of aging research and advancing the quest for healthier, longer lives.  

  • Daniel Sledge, PhD: The Securitization of American Public Health

    Monday, October 20, 2025
    5:30 PM to 8:00 PM
    Hammer Health Sciences Center, 701 W. 168 St., New York, NY 10032 401
    • Basic Health Sciences
    • Government and Public Policy
    • Healthcare
    • Mailman School of Public Health
    This talk explores the securitization of American public health andthe transformation of the political foundations of public health over the past twenty-five years. Despite notable successes in areas such as smoking cessation, public health institutions did a poor job of expanding beyond traditional threats such as acute andinfectious diseases to combat the challenge of chronic disease. The 9/11 attacks, 2001 anthrax mailings, and apparent threat of biological weapons opened a window of opportunity that allowedentrepreneurial bureaucrats and political leaders to frame public health as a matter of national security. The resulting infusion of resources and shift in priorities reoriented local level public health infrastructure towards specific challenges such as emergency preparedness and bioterrorism. In the model of public health that emerged, key aspects of local capacity were underfunded, institutions were designed around a narrow set of problems, andcore challenges such as chronic disease and the social drivers of health were often left unaddressed. Although public health officials were well aware of the threat of pandemic disease, the emphasis on security-framed threats came at the expense of the basic infrastructure needed to address a prolonged crisis such as COVID-19. Lecture - 5:30 - 6:30pm (Hammer 401) Reception- 6:30 - 8pm (Riverview Lounge, ARB)

  • CPRC Seminar Series with Professor Dalton Conley

    Tuesday, October 21, 2025
    4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
    School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10027 1109
    • Social Sciences
    • School of Social Work
    • Mailman School of Public Health
    How Children Affect Their Parents' Health and Behavior: Causal Evidence from Molecular and Survey Data The typical model of human development is unidirectional: From parent to child. However, growing evidence suggests that children exhibit causal changes in their parents' political views, health, and behavior. This talk will show how we can use molecular (i.e. genomic and epigenetic) data combined with survey responses to identify causal effects of children on their parents. I will focus on three aspects of children that impact their parents: the number of offspring, sex, and genotype. I show that children, from a very young age (~18 months), guide their parents in how to raise and invest in them. Meanwhile, combining instrumental variable estimation of the impact of fertility on epigenetic aging clocks and other health measures provides causal estimates of the developmental toll children evince on their parents. Contrary to evolutionary theory, female children age their parents (and particularly their mothers) the fastest. Dalton Conley is the Henry Putnam University Professor in Sociology and a faculty affiliate at the Office of Population Research and the Center for Health and Wellbeing at Princeton University.  He is also a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), a faculty affiliate at the New York Genome Center, and in a pro bono capacity he serves as Dean of Health Sciences for the University of the People, a tuition-free, accredited, online college committed to expanding access to higher education. Cosponsored by the Robert N.Butler Columbia Aging Center

  • AI+Aging Seminar: on AI Innovations to Change Aging

    Thursday, October 30, 2025
    12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
    Online Event
    • School of Social Work
    • Social Sciences
    • Research
    • Mailman School of Public Health
    • International and Public Affairs
    • Economics
    • College of Physicians and Surgeons
    • Columbia Nursing
    • College of Dental Medicine
    • AI
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Basic Health Sciences
    • Clinical Health Sciences
    • Computer Science
    • Engineering
    • Healthcare
    • Natural Sciences
    WELCOME TO THE ROBERT N. BUTLER COLUMBIA AGING CENTER VIRTUAL SERIES | AI + HEALTHY LONGEVITY Click here for full listing of the Columbia Aging Center "AI + Healthy Longevity" Seminar Series Our current series is dedicated to "AI + Healthy Longevity." The rise of artificial intelligence is set to transform health research, offering unprecedented opportunities for innovation, accuracy, and efficiency. As AI becomes more deeply integrated into research and healthcare, its applications hold the power to unlock new ways of improving health outcomes across the life course – particularly in later life. From predicting risks to preventing disease and preserving function, the use of AI to promote healthy longevity is only just beginning.  Yet alongside these opportunities come important challenges: ensuring data quality, promoting transparency, and addressing ethical concerns.  The Columbia Aging Center’s 2025–2026 virtual seminar series, AI + Healthy Longevity, will spotlight these critical issues. Through cutting-edge talks by leading experts – from population health to medical sciences –this series will explore how AI is shaping the future of aging research and advancing the quest for healthier, longer lives. Join us ONLINE on October 30 at noon, for the next in a series focusing on the applications of AI in aging. Details and registration link below. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2025, 12:00-1:00 PM ET Topic will be on AI Innovations to Change Aging Peter Abadir, MD Associate Professor of Medicine Co-PI, Johns Hopkins AI & Technology Collaboratory for Aging Research Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine VIA ZOOM | REGISTER HERE: https://tinyurl.com/Oct30CAC

  • AI+Aging Seminar: on AI for Health: Using Wireless Sensing

    Thursday, November 6, 2025
    12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
    Online Event
    • School of Social Work
    • Social Sciences
    • Research
    • Mailman School of Public Health
    • International and Public Affairs
    • Economics
    • College of Physicians and Surgeons
    • Columbia Nursing
    • College of Dental Medicine
    • AI
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Basic Health Sciences
    • Clinical Health Sciences
    • Computer Science
    • Engineering
    • Healthcare
    • Natural Sciences
    WELCOME TO THE ROBERT N. BUTLER COLUMBIA AGING CENTER VIRTUAL SERIES | AI + HEALTHY LONGEVITY Click here for full listing of the Columbia Aging Center "AI + Healthy Longevity" Seminar Series Our current series is dedicated to "AI + Healthy Longevity." The rise of artificial intelligence is set to transform health research, offering unprecedented opportunities for innovation, accuracy, and efficiency. As AI becomes more deeply integrated into research and healthcare, its applications hold the power to unlock new ways of improving health outcomes across the life course – particularly in later life. From predicting risks to preventing disease and preserving function, the use of AI to promote healthy longevity is only just beginning.  Yet alongside these opportunities come important challenges: ensuring data quality, promoting transparency, and addressing ethical concerns.  The Columbia Aging Center’s 2025–2026 virtual seminar series, AI + Healthy Longevity, will spotlight these critical issues. Through cutting-edge talks by leading experts – from population health to medical sciences –this series will explore how AI is shaping the future of aging research and advancing the quest for healthier, longer lives. Join us ONLINE on November 6 at noon, for the next in a series focusing on the applications of AI in aging. Details and registration link below. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2025, 12:00-1:00 PM ET Topic will be on AI for Health and Using Wireless Sensing Dina Katabi, PhD Thuan and Nicole Pham Professor MacArthur Fellow MIT Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Lab MIT VIA ZOOM | REGISTER HERE: https://tinyurl.com/CACKatabi      

  • NEW DATE The Attack on Scientific Research: What’s the Path Forward?

    Tuesday, November 11, 2025
    11:45 AM to 1:00 PM
    Allan Rosenfield Building, 722 W. 168 St., New York, NY 10032 R532B
    • Mailman School of Public Health
    A Talk with the Editor of Science, Dr. Holden Thorp (George Washington University) With cuts to federal funding agencies still looming, what should researchers and students know about what comes next? Dr. Holden Thorp, editor of Science, has been analyzing the terrain ahead – and avoiding fatalism while doing so – on a regular basis, since the crisis began earlier this year. Join us as he outlines his latest thinking on how to restore public confidence in science, navigate thorny political territory, and forge a path forward. Lunch Served The Alex and Sophie Rosner Seminar Series / Center for the History & Ethics of Public Health / Sociomedical Sciences

  • AI+Aging Seminar: AI Powered Therapeutics in Neurodegeneration

    Thursday, November 20, 2025
    12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
    Online Event
    • School of Social Work
    • Social Sciences
    • Research
    • Mailman School of Public Health
    • International and Public Affairs
    • Economics
    • College of Physicians and Surgeons
    • Columbia Nursing
    • College of Dental Medicine
    • AI
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Basic Health Sciences
    • Clinical Health Sciences
    • Computer Science
    • Engineering
    • Healthcare
    • Natural Sciences
    WELCOME TO THE ROBERT N. BUTLER COLUMBIA AGING CENTER VIRTUAL SERIES | AI + HEALTHY LONGEVITY Click here for full listing of the Columbia Aging Center "AI + Healthy Longevity" Seminar Series Our current series is dedicated to "AI + Healthy Longevity." The rise of artificial intelligence is set to transform health research, offering unprecedented opportunities for innovation, accuracy, and efficiency. As AI becomes more deeply integrated into research and healthcare, its applications hold the power to unlock new ways of improving health outcomes across the life course – particularly in later life. From predicting risks to preventing disease and preserving function, the use of AI to promote healthy longevity is only just beginning.  Yet alongside these opportunities come important challenges: ensuring data quality, promoting transparency, and addressing ethical concerns.  The Columbia Aging Center’s 2025–2026 virtual seminar series, AI + Healthy Longevity, will spotlight these critical issues. Through cutting-edge talks by leading experts – from population health to medical sciences –this series will explore how AI is shaping the future of aging research and advancing the quest for healthier, longer lives. Join us ONLINE on November 20 at noon, for the next in a series focusing on the applications of AI in aging. Details and registration link below. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2025, 12:00-1:00 PM ET TITLE: AI Powered Therapeutics Discovery for Neurodegenerative Conditions Jianying Hu, PhD Director, HCLS Research Global Science Leader, AI for Healthcare IBM Research VIA ZOOM | REGISTER HERE: https://tinyurl.com/CACNov20    

  • AI+Aging Seminar-SpeechCARE-Detecting Cognitive Impairment in Speech

    Thursday, January 29, 2026
    12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
    Online Event
    • School of Social Work
    • Social Sciences
    • Research
    • Mailman School of Public Health
    • International and Public Affairs
    • Economics
    • College of Physicians and Surgeons
    • Columbia Nursing
    • College of Dental Medicine
    • AI
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Basic Health Sciences
    • Clinical Health Sciences
    • Computer Science
    • Engineering
    • Healthcare
    • Natural Sciences
    WELCOME TO THE ROBERT N. BUTLER COLUMBIA AGING CENTER VIRTUAL SERIES | AI + HEALTHY LONGEVITY Click here for full listing of the Columbia Aging Center "AI + Healthy Longevity" Seminar Series Our current series is dedicated to "AI + Healthy Longevity." The rise of artificial intelligence is set to transform health research, offering unprecedented opportunities for innovation, accuracy, and efficiency. As AI becomes more deeply integrated into research and healthcare, its applications hold the power to unlock new ways of improving health outcomes across the life course – particularly in later life. From predicting risks to preventing disease and preserving function, the use of AI to promote healthy longevity is only just beginning.  Yet alongside these opportunities come important challenges: ensuring data quality, promoting transparency, and addressing ethical concerns.  The Columbia Aging Center’s 2025–2026 virtual seminar series, AI + Healthy Longevity, will spotlight these critical issues. Through cutting-edge talks by leading experts – from population health to medical sciences –this series will explore how AI is shaping the future of aging research and advancing the quest for healthier, longer lives. Join us ONLINE on January 29 at noon, for the next in a series focusing on the applications of AI in aging. Details and registration link below. THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2026, 12:00-1:00 PM ET SpeechCARE: Advancing Early Detection of Cognitive Impairment through Multimodal Speech Processing Maryam Zolnoori, PhD Assistant Professor of Health Sciences (in Nursing) Columbia School of Nursing VIA ZOOM | REGISTER HERE: https://tinyurl.com/Jan29CAC

  • AI+Aging Seminar: A Multi-organ, multi-omics biological aging clock

    Thursday, February 5, 2026
    12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
    Online Event
    • School of Social Work
    • Social Sciences
    • Research
    • Mailman School of Public Health
    • International and Public Affairs
    • Economics
    • College of Physicians and Surgeons
    • Columbia Nursing
    • College of Dental Medicine
    • AI
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Basic Health Sciences
    • Clinical Health Sciences
    • Computer Science
    • Engineering
    • Healthcare
    • Natural Sciences
    WELCOME TO THE ROBERT N. BUTLER COLUMBIA AGING CENTER VIRTUAL SERIES | AI + HEALTHY LONGEVITY Click here for full listing of the Columbia Aging Center "AI + Healthy Longevity" Seminar Series Our current series is dedicated to "AI + Healthy Longevity." The rise of artificial intelligence is set to transform health research, offering unprecedented opportunities for innovation, accuracy, and efficiency. As AI becomes more deeply integrated into research and healthcare, its applications hold the power to unlock new ways of improving health outcomes across the life course – particularly in later life. From predicting risks to preventing disease and preserving function, the use of AI to promote healthy longevity is only just beginning.  Yet alongside these opportunities come important challenges: ensuring data quality, promoting transparency, and addressing ethical concerns.  The Columbia Aging Center’s 2025–2026 virtual seminar series, AI + Healthy Longevity, will spotlight these critical issues. Through cutting-edge talks by leading experts – from population health to medical sciences –this series will explore how AI is shaping the future of aging research and advancing the quest for healthier, longer lives. Join us ONLINE on February 5 at noon, for the last in a series focusing on the applications of AI in aging. Details and registration link below. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2026, 12:00-1:00 PM ET Towards a multi-organ, multi-omics biological aging clock Junhao Wen, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Radiology Columbia University VIA ZOOM | REGISTER HERE: https://tinyurl.com/CACHaoWen