Why Participate in Research?

The Longevity Center has a history of offering research opportunities for older adults. Currently, we partner with the Mary S. Easton Center (Department of Neurology), the UCLA Precision Medicine Clinic, and the Semel Institute (Department of Psychiatry) to inform you about memory, mood and cognitive health research at UCLA.

The ultimate goal of medical research is to provide therapies and, hopefully, cures for diseases.  Participation in research is vital for the understanding of the causes of disorders, for studying pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment, and finding and testing cures for disease.

There are different types of medical research studies. Some are strictly observational, meaning that people with a particular condition are observed over time to better understand the natural history of the condition, meaning how it may develop, its course over time, and outcomes. Better understanding of  the natural history of a condition can lead to developing prevention or treatment studies. Other types of studies include  interventional, meaning that a treatment or test may be applied and its effects are studied. Researchers conduct clinical trials to find new or better ways to prevent, detect, or treat health conditions. Often, researchers want to find out if a new test, treatment (either pharmacological or non-pharmacological), or preventive measure is safe and effective. Clinical trials can be used to test a drug, a surgical procedure, a device, a psychotherpay treatment, or a nutriceutical.

People participate in research for different reasons. Some people have an altruistic desire to improve medical care for future generations. Others have a connection to a certain disease or illness, whether through personal experience or through friends or family.  Some people with a condition or an illness may join to try new or advanced treatments that aren’t widely available. Some folks have a personal interest in science and want to be a part of scientific discovery. 

Strict rules and laws help protect participants in research studies, and the study team must follow these rules to conduct research. Rules include ethical guidelines, giving written informed consent with a full explanation of the study, and oversight and monitoring by institutional review boards that protects the rights, welfare, and privacy of human subjects. Research is ALWAYS voluntary, and research participants have the right to ask questions, have them answered, and change their minds about participation, without consequence.

Human research depends on people like you volunteering for studies. People with and without conditions are needed for these studies. If you see a flyer posted on the Longevity Center website or in one of our social media or email announcements, know that these are UCLA studies that meet all of the internal review board regulations and guidelines. If you are interested or curious, email or call the study coordinator to find out more information about the study purpose and procedures.