Center for Seniors Uniting Nationwide to Support Health, INtegrated care, and Economics, known as the Center for SUNSHINE, an interdisciplinary collaboration funded by the National Institute on Aging. Co-led by the University of Maryland School of Public Health and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, the Center for SUNSHINE will serve as a national hub for interdisciplinary research, training and real-world innovation to strengthen resilience in aging populations.
The center, outlined in a study in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, draws from 50 years of scholarship at UMD’s Center on Aging and the computational innovation and clinical partnerships enabled by the University of Maryland Institute for Health Computing.
Mission: The overarching mission of SUNSHINE is to advance aging resilience by integrating healthcare systems, public health organizations, social service agencies, and community-based resources to enhance the well-being of older adults and their care partners and maximize societal value.
If you need any assistance or have data-related inquiries, please do not hesitate to reach out.
The SUNSHINE team would be glad to support your efforts.
SUNSHINE Inaugural Annual Research Symposium “Advancing Aging Resilience Through Research, Partnership, and Practice”
Dr. Lisbeth Nielsen’s Keynote Slides
Gerontological Society of America Meets SUNSHINE
SUNSHINE's Leadership - Principal Investigators
Jie Chen
Chair and Professor, Health Policy and Management
Director, Center on Aging
Director, Center for SUNSHINE (Seniors Uniting Nationwide to Support Health, Integrated Care, and Economics)
Rozalina McCoy
Associate Professor of Medicine and the Associate Division Chief for Clinical Research in the University of Maryland School of Medicine
Stephen B. Thomas
Professor, Health Policy and Management
Director, Center for Health Equity
Healthcare Systems, Social Services, and Public Health Support
Examining the role of healthcare systems, social services, and public health infrastructure in supporting older adults, caregivers, and communities, while enhancing delivery, quality, health outcomes, and resilience.
Social and Behavioral Factors of Health Across the Life Course
Investigating how social, economic, and behavioral factors throughout life influence health outcomes in aging. SUNSHINE prioritizes identifying modifiable pathways that impact mental health, resilience, and social connectedness. It also supports research and interventions addressing early-life adversity and promoting well-being from early life through older adulthood.
Cognitive and Behavioral Health
Supporting the development of models that promote cognitive, emotional, behavioral and social well-being through interdisciplinary care, public health strategies, and community-integrated services. Key strategies include early screening, family-centered interventions, social prescribing, and a life-course approach to mental health.
Population-Level Interventions and Resilience
Evaluating the impact of public health strategies, healthcare policies, and system-wide interventions on healthcare access, quality, resilience, and overall well-being, with an emphasis on developing scalable, actionable solutions.
To improve health, build community resilience
Our new study examined community resilience and health and found that fewer healthcare resources, limited digital tools and weaker support systems link to poorer overall health for residents. LEARN MORE.
Data for Aging Research Panel Session
The panel session will take place from 12:20-2:00pm on Thursday (11/06/2025) at UMD School of Public Health Room 0116A. RSVP.
NIH funds first-of-its-kind center to study resilience and aging
UMD, UMB researchers and partners collaborate to tackle critical health issues facing an aging population. LEARN MORE.
“Our ultimate goal is happy, healthy and well-supported aging for everyone.”
Partnerships with SUNSHINE
University System of Maryland
- UM Institute for Health Computing
- UM Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center
- UM School of Medicine
- UM School of Pharmacy
- UMB Center for Research on Aging
- UMBC Erickson School of Aging Studies
- UMD Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland
- UMD College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
- UMD College of Information
- UMD Legacy Leadership Institute on Public Policy
- UMD School of Business
- UMD School of Engineering
- UMD School of Public Health
Institutions around the region
- Georgetown University
- Howard University
- Universities at Shady Grove
- Virginia Commonwealth Universities
Community and national organizations
- PATIENTS Program, UMB
- Maryland CRAB
- Maryland Extension
- Encore Creativity for Older Adults
- AARP
Contact Us
Center for Seniors Uniting Nationwide to Support Health, INtegrated care, and Economics (Center for SUNSHINE)
SPH Building, 4200 Valley Drive, Suite 3310
University of Maryland
College Park, MD, 20742
Contact: Teagan Maguire
Email: tkm@umd.edu
Contact Information for MPIs
Jie Chen, PhD. Email: jichen@umd.edu
Rozalina McCoy, MD. Email: Rozalina.McCoy@som.umaryland.edu
Stephen Thomas, PhD. email: sbt@umd.edu