Making Successful Aging Accessible to All
The Institute of Health Resilience and Innovation exists to understand why some people thrive as they age while others struggle, and to use that understanding to help more people age successfully. We bring together researchers, practitioners, and community partners to address the complex factors that shape health across the lifespan, from molecular mechanisms to social systems. Guided by our Cells to Society framework, we develop science-driven interventions that build resilience and improve health outcomes for individuals and communities.
Our Vision
Too many people age into preventable decline, not because of genetics or fate, but because of chronic stress, the quality of their closest relationships, and accumulated adversity across the life course. Structural inequities, including racism and neighborhood disinvestment, create additional burdens that become biologically embedded over time. Because adversity accumulates, with early experiences setting biological trajectories that unfold decades later, understanding successful aging requires a lifespan perspective. Yet we also know that a remarkable proportion of older adults remain as healthy and engaged as people decades younger. IHRI bridges the gap between research and practice to understand what makes successful aging possible and to extend those benefits to everyone, regardless of zip code, income, or life history.research and practice, empowering individuals and communities with solutions rooted in science and real-world impact.
Why Houston? Why Rice?
Houston is the most diverse city in the nation, a mosaic of neighborhoods, cultures, and life experiences that mirrors the complexity of aging itself. This diversity makes Houston an unparalleled living laboratory for understanding what enables successful aging and what undermines it. Located at Rice University with close ties to the Texas Medical Center and deep roots in communities like the Fifth Ward, we have the resources, partnerships, and community trust to drive meaningful change with personalized scale for global impact. What we learn in Houston applies everywhere, because Houston reflects the demographic future of America.
Join Us
We invite you to be part of this transformative work. Whether you are a researcher, student, community partner, or supporter, there is a place for you in advancing the future of health resilience and successful aging. Together, we can build healthier, more resilient communities.