University of Gothenburg
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A small oak tree in a pair of hands

About us

The overall aim of AgeCap is to perform coordinated studies of capability in ageing. Capability refers to the individual’s ability to perform actions in order to reach goals he or she has reason to value. Factors on different levels of the person’s life form the basis for what that individual is capable of. Examples of factors on a macro level are laws and regulations that affect pensions, social security, labour market, home care, and health care. On a mesolevel, factors that influence capability include the context in which the daily life is embedded, e.g. socioeconomic, family life, social networks, caring facilities and obligations, health care and work. Finally, individual factors include genetic predispositions, neurobiology, personality, somatic, mental/cognitive health, life style and human capital (e.g education, acquired work skills, earning capacity).

The centre will conduct multidisciplinary studies and educational activities by bringing together researchers from medicine, psychology, social and health sciences for joint projects focusing on determinants of stability and change of capability. Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be used and projects focusing on secular changes, physical, cognitive and mental health, neurohealth, work and retirement, fraility, and self-determination will be included. Researchers at the centre and their networks already have access to major population-based longitudinal databases. The plan is to launch new intervention studies and longitudinal studies of new cohorts that allow us to cover the entire age span from 50 to over 100 years. Knowledge gathered through the centre will have broad applications ranging from political decision-making to individual well-being. The centre will also foster young researchers in multidisciplinary aging research. The ultimate goal is to strengthen older people’s capability to make choices that improves overall wellbeing and participation in society.

Organisation

The host institution for AgeCap is the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology.
AgeCap's organisation includes a Steering Committee, a communications team, a group of young researchers (AgeCap Greenhouse), a scientific coordinator, an administrative coordinator, a communicator, and investigation unit. The steering committee is supported by an international advisory board. Further, a stakeholders advisory board facilitates collaboration with society.

Steering committee

The steering committee decisions are taken regarding development of research activities and the planning of resource use. The Steering Committee meet six times per year and the members are:

  • Director of AgeCap and leader of EPINEP: Ingmar Skoog (substitute Margda Waern) 
  • Synneve Dahlin Ivanoff, FRESH (substitute Katarina Wilhelmsson) 
  • Boo Johansson, LIFE LAB (substitute Valgeir Thorvaldsson), 
  • Lotta Dellve, LEXLIV (substitute Ewa Wikström/Björn Halleröd) 
  • Kaj Blennow, NEUROCHEM (substitute Henrik Zetterberg) 
  • Maria Edström, AGEDEM (substitute Annika Bergström)
  • Maja Gunn, HDK-Valand – Academy of Art and Design 
  • Ulrika Lagerlöf Nilsson, Faculty of Humanities (substitute Dimitrios Kokkinakis)
  • Eva Maria Svensson, School of Business, Economics and Law (substitute Kristian Bolin)

AGECAP GREENHOUSE

Theresa Westgård and Jessica Samuelsson

CO-OPT MEMBERS 

  • Representative of Västra Götaland: Ann-Marie Wennberg, chief physician
  • Representative of host faculty: Agneta Holmäng, Dean
  • Scientific coordinator: Pia Gudmundsson 
  • Administrative coordinator: Tina Jacobsson
  • Innovation advisor, Jonas Rimbäck

Reference group

Coordinator

  • Pia Gudmundsson

Head

  • Sten Landahl

Members

  • Lena Gustafsson, SPF Seniors
  • Ingela Ekholm, PRO 
  • Peter Lönnroth, Region Västra Götaland
  • Helena Henningson, SKL, Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions
  • Sara Nordenhielm, The Gothenburg Region (GR)
  • Elisabet Lann, local politician and Chairperson of the Council of the Elderly
  • Ann-Christine Ringsby, registered dementia nurse
  • Kristine Josephsson, Senior Sport School, Region Västra Götaland
  • Susanne Sandgren, Skaraborgs Municipality
  • Lena Holmquist Henriksson, Head of Geriatric development center at Sahlgrenska University hospital 
  • Emma Matsson, Head of development Åldersvänliga Göteborg 
  • Jonas Rimbäck, Innovation advisor

International Advisory Board

AgeCap has an international advisory board that includes seven international researchers from various disciplines. This Board will meet once a year to review the development of the Center, as well as advise on future directions.
 

Members

  • Robert Stewart, Professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology & Clinical Informatics, King’s College, London, UK
  • Clare Hocking, Professor of Occupational Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
  • Denis Gerstorf, Professor of Developmental Psychology, Humboldt University, Berlin,
  • David Gordon, Professor of Social Justice, Bristol University, Bristol,
  • Nick Fox, Professor of Clinical Neurology, University College, London,
  • Gladys Maestre, Professor of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York,
  • Adesola Ogunniyi, Professor of Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
  • Dr. Ulla Kriebernegg is Associate Professor at the Center for Inter-American Studies (C.IAS) at the University of Graz, Austria                                                                       

AgeCap greenhouse

  • Theresa Westgård (FRESH)
  • Jessica Samuelsson (EPINEP)

Communications Group

  • Pia Gudmundsson (EPINEP)

  • Maria Edström (AGEDEM)

Administration

  • Tina Jacobsson, administrator
  • Pia Gudmundsson, scientific coordinator

Members of AgeCap

SAHLGRENSKA ACADEMY

Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology
Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry
EPINEP

Anna Dittrich                    

Anna Zettergren

Anne Börjesson Hansson

Cecilia Doshé

Daniel Jaraj

Deborah Gustafson

Elin Karlsson

Elisabeth Rothenberg

Erik Joas      

Felicia Ahlner

Fredrik Öhman

Gunnel Sennerheim 

Hanna Falk Erhag 

Hanna Wetterberg

Helen Lidén

Ingmar Skoog

Ingvar Karlsson

Irma Rymo

Isabell Warkki

Isak Fredén-Klenfeldt

Jenna Najar

Jessica Samuelsson

Johan Nilsson

Johan Skoog

Jonas Molinder

Jürgen Kern

Katarina Fleischer

Katrin Rabie

Karolina Thörnqvist

Kerstin Brandt                                        

Kerstin Frändin

Khedidja Hedna

Lena Johansson

Lina Rydén

Louise Lillemägi

Madeleine Mellqvist Fässberg

Maya Arvidsson Rådestig

Mattias Jonson ­                  

Margda Waern

Masuma Novak

Mats Ribbe

Michael Schöll

Nazib Seidu

Paula Jonasson                                        

Pia Gudmundsson

Robert Sigström

Sara Hed

Silke Kern

Simona Sacuiu

Stefan Wiktorsson

Therese Rydberg Sterner

Timothy Hadarsson Bodin

Thorsteinn Gislason

Tina Jacobsson

Tore Hällström

Valter Sundh

Xinxin Guo

Yadi Nejad

 

NEUROCHEM

Henrik Zetterberg

Kaj Blennow

 

Adult Cognitive disorders

Adrian Gimdal

Alexandra Horvath

Anders Wallin

Anna Molinder

Carl Eckerström

Elin Axelsson

Jacob Stålhammar

Johan Svensson

Marie Eckerström

Marie Johansson

Michael Jonsson

Patrick Quinlan

Petronella Kettunen

Zinab Alhossani

 

FRESH

Angela Bångsbo

Eva Holmgren

Greta Häggblom-Kronlöf

Isabelle Andersson Hammar

Isak Berge

Joel Faronbi

Kajsa Eklund

Katarina Wilhelmson

Lena Mårtensson

Lena Sandin Wrankler

Qarin Lood

Sten Landahl

Synneve Dahlin Ivanoff    

Theresa Westgård

 

Institute of Health and Care Science

FRESH

Emmelie Barenfeld

Zahra Ebrahimi

 

LEXLIV

Linda Åhlström

 

Institute of Medicine

Department of Public Health and Community Medicine

Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Kerstin Wentz

Kjell Torén

Kristina Gyllensten

Linus Schiöler

Mathias Holm

Mats Hagberg

Mia Söderberg

 

Institute of Biomedicine

Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Aging and protein Quality control

Doryaneh Ahmadpour

Thomas Nyström

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Department of Psychology

LIFE LAB

Amos Pagin

Anne Ingeborg Berg

Benjamín Garzón

Boo Johansson

Gaia Olivo

Gustaf Glavå

Isabelle Hansson

Johan Skoog

Linda Hassing

Linn Elena Zulka

Magnus Lindwall

Marie Kivi

Martin Fischer

Martin Löwdén

Pär Bjälkebring

Sandra Buratti

Sara Hed

Sindre Engelbrekt Rolstad

Valgeir Thorvaldsson

 

Associate members LIFE LAB

Georg Henning

Marcus Praetorius Björk

Peter Karlsson

Stefanie König

Taina Dukic Willstrand 

Taina Lethonen

Yvonne Brehmer

 

Department of Sociology and Work Science

LEXLIV

Björn Halleröd

Caroline Hasselgren

Daniel Seldén

Helena Håkansson

Jing Wu

Karin Allard

Lotta Dellve

Margit Irene Hedfors

Mattias Bengtsson

Monika Andersson Bäck

Robin Jonsson

Roland Kadefors

Gunnar Gillberg

 

External members LEXLIV

Marita Flisbäck (University of Borås)

Maria Wolmesjö (University of Borås)

Urmi Nanda Biswas (Vadodara, India)

Anindo Bhattarcharjee (MMS, Mumbai, India)

Andrea Eriksson (KTH)

Mikael Stattin (Umeå University)

Daniel Larsson (anställd vid Umeå University)

 

Department of Social Work

FRESH

Anna Dunér

Hanna Mac Innes

Tina Olsson

 

LEXLIV

Linda Lane

 

Department of Journalism, Media and Communication (JMG)

AGEDEM

Annika Bergström

Gabriella Sandstig

Maria Edström

 

Department of Political Science

AGEDEM

Maria Solevid

FACULTY OF ARTS

Department of Historical Studies

Ageing and Society

Helene Castenbrandt

Ulrika Lagerlöf Nilsson

 

Department of Swedish

Language technology

Dimitrios Kokkinakis

Kristina Lundholm Fors

 

Department of Philosophy, linguistics and theory of science

Practical Philosophy

Bengt Brülde

 

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, ECONOMICS AND LAW

Department of Business Administration

LEXLIV

Ewa Wikström 

Nanna Gillberg 

Rebecka Arman 

Roy Liff 

 

Department of Economics

Health Economics

Kristian Bolin

 

Department of Law

AGEDEM

Eva-Maria Svensson

Otto Swedrup

Pernilla Rendahl

Sara Stendahl

Therese Bäckman

Thomas Erhag

Torbjörn Odlöw

FACULTY OF FINE, APPLIED AND PERFORMING ARTS

HDK – Academy of Design and Crafts

Design Management

Maja Gunn

IT FACULTY

Institution of Applied Information Technology

Division of Learning, Communication and IT

Digital seniors

Alexandra Weilenmann

 

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Interaction Design

Digital seniors

Olof Torgersson