Training the next generation of leaders in aging and healthspan science.
The Geroscience Academy supports education and training in aging, longevity, and healthspan science at Northwestern. Through seminars, discussions, and other programming, the Academy brings together trainees, faculty, and collaborators to examine emerging topics, exchange ideas across disciplines, and strengthen the broader field of aging research.
Meet the Director
Francesca E. Duncan, PhD
Dr. Duncan is an Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and holds the Thomas J. Watkins Memorial Professorship in Reproductive Science. She also co-directs the Center for Reproductive Science and serves as faculty director of Northwestern’s Master of Science in Reproductive Science and Medicine program.
Her research focuses on how aging affects reproductive health at the cellular level, particularly in the ovary and gamete. She is active in the broader aging research community through her work with Northwestern, the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, national workshops, professional societies, and training programs in reproductive aging and the biology of aging.
Human Healthspan Seminar Series
Open to Northwestern faculty, staff, students, and trainees, the Human Healthspan Seminar Series brings the longevity science community together for monthly, in-person seminars on aging and healthspan research. Each session runs from 3:00–4:30 p.m. CT in Baldwin Auditorium, with a one-hour seminar followed by networking and refreshments.
SEPTEMBER 1, 2026

Measuring Biological Age in Humans: Navigating the Journey to Healthspan Extension
Douglas E. Vaughan, MD, Director of the Potocsnak Longevity Institute, kicks off the Human Healthspan Seminar Series by sharing how the Potocsnak Longevity Institute is advancing research focused on healthier aging and longer healthspan.
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OCTOBER 6, 2026

NOVEMBER 3, 2026
