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The Center for SUNSHINE

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Upcoming Event: 

Aging Research and Policy Event with the Gerontological Society of America

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Friedgen Lounge, School of Public Health Building, UMD College Park

Full Agenda about Full Agenda
Resilence

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.

SUNSHINE's Leadership - Principal Investigators

Portrait of Jie Chen

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)
Portrait of Rozalina McCoy

Rozalina McCoy

Associate Professor of Medicine and the Associate Division Chief for Clinical Research in the University of Maryland School of Medicine
Portrait of Stephen B. Thomas

Stephen B. Thomas

Professor, Health Policy and Management
Director, Center for Health Equity

Research Areas

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.

News and Events

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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  • 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 
  • Georgetown University
  • Howard University
  • Universities at Shady Grove
  • Virginia Commonwealth Universities
  • PATIENTS Program, UMB
  • Maryland CRAB
  • Maryland Extension
  • Encore Creativity for Older Adults
  • AARP

Partnerships with SUNSHINE

Partnerships
Not pictured: UMB Center on Research on Aging; UMB NIA Pepper Center; UMBC Erickson School of Aging Studies; Legagy Leadership Institute on Public Policy; Maryland CRAB; PATIENTS.