A special 25th Anniversary Edition of the AFAR Grant Directory is available here!

AFAR Research Grant Program

2004 AFAR Research Grant Recipients

Gal Bitan, Ph.D., Instructor in Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital: "Development of Amyloid Beta-protein Oligomerization Inhibitors"

Bo-Chin Chiu, Ph.D., Research Investigator, University of Michigan: "Effect of Aging on Early Events of Pulmonary Innate Immune Response to Mycobacterial Antigen Challenge in Mouse Models"

Wolfgang Liedtke, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Duke University Medical Center: "Molecular Pathogenesis of Osmotic Dysregulation by the Nervous System in Aging Mammals"

Jianyuan Luo, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Medical School: "Negative Regulation of p53 Pathway by Mammalian Sir2 Antogonize p53 Dependent Cell Senescence Induced by Oxidative Stress"

Barbara McCreadie, Ph.D., Research Investigator, University of Michigan: "Age-related Response to Trabecular Bone Microdamage"

Michael Murphy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville: "Regulation of Beta-secretase by CNBP"

Radhika Muzumdar, M.D., Assistant Professor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine: "Role of Declining IGF-1 in the Metabolic Syndrome of Aging"

Peter Penzes, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Northwestern University: "Regulation of Structural Plasticity of Excitatory Synapses"

Pere Puigserver, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine: "Molecular Mechanisms for Transcriptional Regulation of Glucose Homeostatis Linked to Aging"

Patrick Sullivan, Ph.D., Assistant Medical Research Professor, Duke University Medical Center: "Effective Aging on Brain ApoE-Dependent, Lipid Metabolism"

Kaoru Tominaga, Ph.D., Instructor, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio: "Analysis of MORF4 Functions in vitro and in vivo Model Systems"

Zolatan Ungvari, M.D., Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, New York Medical College: "Cardiovascular Protective Effects of anti-TNFa/TACE Treatment in Aging"

David Zacks, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Kellogg Eye Center: "Apoptosis in Photoreceptor Cell Death"

2003 AFAR Research Grant Recipients

Douglas E. Faunce, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, Loyola University: "A Role for Natural Killer T Cells in Age-related Immune Dysfunction"

Gonzalo G. Garcia, Ph.D., Research Investigator, University of Michigan: "Effects of Surface Glycosylation in the Age-related Decline of T Cell Function"

Ming Guo, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of California, Los Angeles: "Identifying Regulators of Gamma Secretase Implicated in Alzheimer's Disease"

Daniel G. Herrera, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Weill Medical College of Cornell University: "Effects of Alcoholism on Neurogenesis in the Aged Brain"

Elizabeth Jonas, M.D., Assistant Professor, Yale University School of Medicine: "Enhancement of Synaptic Function by a BCL-2 Family Protein"

David E. Kang, Ph.D., Assistant Project Scientist, University of California, San Diego: "Role of Presenilin in Phosphorylation of Tau"

Brian K. Kennedy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Washington: "Genome-wide Identification of Yeast Aging Genes"

Christine Maric, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Georgetown University Medical Center: "Estrogen Modulation of the Renin-Angiotensin System in the Pathogenesis of Age-Related Progressive Renal Disease"

Kelly L. Tremblay, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Washington: "Aging and the Neural Representation of Speech-Sounds: Effects of Hearing Aid Amplification and Auditory Training"

Edwin J. Weeber, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine: "The Role of ApoE Receptors in Hippocampal-Dependent Synaptic Function"

Gang Yu, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center: "Dissecting Molecular Interactions of PEN-2 in the y-secretase Complex"

2002 AFAR Research Grant Recipients

Mary Bouxsein, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: "The Role of -Arrestin2 in Regulating the Effects of PTH in Bone"

Francesco Celi, M.D., Instructor in Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore: "Type 2 Deiodinase Mutations and Insulin Resistance in the Old Order of Amish"

Linda Chao, Ph.D., Assistant Adjunct Professor, University of California, San Francisco: "fMRI of Attention and Inhibitory Control on Normal Aging"

Paola Fabrizio, Ph.D., Research Associate, University of Southern California: "The Role of Evolutionary Conserved Proteins in Yeast Longevity"

Thomas Gould, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Temple University: "Investigation of Age-Related Changes in Molecular Substrates of Learning in Transgenic Mice"

Mark Hoffman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Oregon State University: "Reflex Modulation During Manipulation of the Sensory Systems"

Xudong Huang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Massachusetts General Hospital:"Homocysteine, Oxidative Stress, and Mitochondria-Dependent Neuronal Apoptosis in Alzheimer's Disease"

Mark Laubach, Ph.D., Assistant Fellow, The John B. Pierce Laboratory: "Neurophysiological Correlates of Aging on Reaction Time Performance"

Yi-Ju Li, Ph.D., Research Associate, Duke University Medical Center: "Identification of Novel Age-at-Onset Genes on Chromosome 10 in Alzheimer's Disease"

Philippe Marambaud, Ph.D., Instructor, Mount Sinai School of Medicine: "Role of the Presenilin-1/-secretase Cleavage of E-Cadherin in Adherens Junction Function"

David Moser, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Iowa: "Effects of Endothelial Dysfunction Cerebrovascular Disease, Cognition and Depression"

Susan Opalenik, Ph.D., Research Instructor, Vanderbilt University: "Stem Cells in Age-Impaired Wound Healing"

Giovanni Paternostro, M.D., Ph.D., Research Investigator, The Burnham Institute: "Genetic Analysis of Cardiac Aging in Drosophila"

Qitao Ran, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio: "Will Reduced Level of PHGPx (GPx4) in Brain Facilitate the Formation of Amyloid Plaques?"

P. Hemanchandra Reddy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Oregon Health and Science University: "Molecular Analysis of Synaptopodin Gene: A Possible Genetic Link with Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease"

Molly Shores, M.D., Assistant Professor, VA Puget Sound Health Care System: "The Effect of Testosterone Treatment on Depressive Symptoms and Quality of Life in Older Men with Age-Associated Hypogonadism and Subsyndromal Depression"

Adrian Timmers, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Florida: "Accumulation of Age-Pigment in Retinal Pigment Epithelium and Age-Related Macular Degeneration"

Heidi Tissenbaum, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts: "Genetic and Molecular Analysis of Mechanisms Controlling Life Span in C. Elegans"

2001 AFAR Research Grant Recipients

Christy Carter, Ph.D., Research Assistant, Wake Forest University School of Medicine: "Physical Ability in Aged and Dwarf(dw/dw) Rats: Isolating Growth Hormone Effects"

John Case, M.D., Assistant Professor, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center: "Relationship Between Dynamic Joint Loading, Bone Mineral Density, and Radiographic Predictors of Early Osteoarthritis in the Elderly"

Atanu Duttaroy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Howard University: "Genomic Regions Involved in Manganese Superoxide Dismutase Regulation in Drosophila"

Peter Erhardt, M.D., Ph.D., Staff Scientist, Boston Biomedical Research Institute: "Regulation of Cardiomyocyte Survival by MDM2"

Karen Furie, M.D., M.P.H., Neurologist, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital: "Apolipoprotein E Genotype and Functional Recovery Following Rehabilitation after Ischemic Stroke"

ZhongMao Guo, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio: "Does Calorie Restriction Retard Atherosclerosis in Transgenic Mice?"

David Jarrard, M.D., Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin: "Genomic Imprinting Alterations in Senescence"

Dawn Lowe, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota: "Molecular Mechanism of Age-Related Declines in Muscle Contractility"

Gianni Maddalozzo, Ph.D., Instructor, Oregon State University: "The Separate and Combined Effect of Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT) and Resistance Training on the Musculoskeletal and Nervous System in Early Postmenopausal Women"

Robert Moir, Ph.D., Instructor, Massachusetts General Hospital: "A LRP-Mediated Uptake of Redox Modified AD Associated Proteins"

Laura Niklason, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Duke University: "A Telomerase in Engineered Vascular Tissues"

Claudia Orengo, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine: "Testosterone Augmentation in Depressed Men with Partial Response to Anti-Depressant Therapy"

Maricarmen Planas-Silva, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Pennsylvania State University: "Estrogen Receptor Expression and Function in the Aging Mammary Gland"

Troy Rohn, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Boise State University: "The Role of Caspase-8 in Mediating Neuronal Cell Death Associated with Alzheimer's Disease: A Potential Therapeutic Target"

Patricia Slattum, Pharm. D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University: "Age-Related Differences in the Sensitivity and Development of Acute Tolerance to Ethanol in Humans"

Weihong Song, M.D., Ph.D., Instructor, Children's Hospital: "Regulation of BACE by Presenilins and the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease"

Sundar Srinivasan, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, University of Washington: "Rest-inserted Loading: Examination of a Novel Osteogenic Stimulus for the Aged Skeleton"

Mei Sun, Ph.D., Instructor, Harvard Medical School: "Developing Gene Therapy for Parkinson's Disease Using Helper Virus-free HSV-1 Vectors"

Ruben Vidal, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Indiana University School of Medicine: "The BRI Gene Family and Familial British and Danish Dementia"

Suresh Viswanathan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Indiana University School of Optometry: "Identifying the Retinal Loci of Age-Related Changes in Rod-Mediated Visual Function"

Beverly Yashar, Ph.D., Research Investigator, University of Michigan: "Molecular Genetics Studies of Age-Related Macular Degeneration"

Claire Yellowley, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Pennsylvania State University Medical School: "Interactions of Age and Ovariectomy on Bone Cell Mechanosensitivity: Recovery by PTH Administration"

2000 AFAR Research Grant Recipients

James Carson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of South Carolina:"Serum Response Factor's Role in Aged Skeletal Muscle's Blunted Remodeling Response to Chronic Stretch"

Qin Mary Chen, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Arizona:"Molecular Mechanisms of Oxidative Stress Response in Cardiomyocytes"

Charleen Chu, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh: "Superoxide and Nitric Oxide in a Parkinsonian Mouse Model"

Ana Maria Cuervo, M.D., Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine: "Changes in the Lysomal Receptor for Chaperone-Mediated Autophagy with Age"

Esther Dupont-Versteegden, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas: "The Role of Calcineurin in Age-associated Muscle Atrophy"

David Goukassian, M.D., Ph.D., Instructor, Boston University School of Medicine: "The Effect of Aging on DNA Repair and Mutation Rate: Modulation by DNA Oligonucleotide Therapy"

Claudia Gravekamp, Ph.D., Associate Member, CTRC Research Foundation: "A Syngeneic Mouse Tumor Model to Develop Cancer Vaccines for the Elderly"

Qing Guo, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine: "Inhibiting Aberrant Processing of Alzheimer's -Amyloid Precursor Protein by Blocking Par-4 Activity: Novel Therapeutic Implications in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease"

Paul Hees, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center: "Reversal of Age-Related Myocardial Stiffness in Rats"

Shurong Huang, Ph.D., Research Scientist, Palo Alto Institute of Molecular Medicine: "Regulation of Replicative Senescence by the WRN gene"

Jennifer Luebke, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Boston University School of Medicine: "Functional Consequences of Cholinergic Degeneration in Aged Rhesus Monkeys"

Allen Mandir, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University: "Aging and Parkinson's Disease: MPTP Models of Neurotoxicity"

Michael McEachern, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Georgia: "Genomic Screen for Telomere Mutants"

Timothy O'Connor, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, The City College of CUNY: "Aging of Gut Function and Metabolism in a Long-lived Rodent: the Naked Mole-rat"

Riccardo Perfetti, M.D., Ph.D., Assistance Professor, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center: "Age-Dependent Decline of Pancreatic Islet Cell Function is Reversed by Hormonal Treatment"

Suzana Petanceska, Ph.D., Research Scientist, Nathan Kline Institute: "Modeling the Role of Microglia in A Deposition: Effect of Estrogen"

David Sinclair, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School: "A Molecular Role for Werner and Sgs1 Helicases in Telomere Maintenance and Premature Aging"

Nina Solenski, M.D., Assistant Professor, University of Virginia Health System: "The Role of Mitochondira in Hypoxia-Induced Cell Death"

Aziz Ulug, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Weill Medical College of Cornell University: "The Diagnosis and Management of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus in the Elderly Using MRDTI"

Demetri Vassilatis, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine: "Caenorhabditis Elegans as a Model for Parkinson's Disease"

Robert West, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Notre Dame: "The Neural Foundation of Age-Related Declines in Prospective Memory"

Asma Zaidi, Ph.D., Assistant Research Professor, University of Kansas: "Age-Related Alterations in the Plasma Membrane Ca²⁺-ATPASE: Role of Oxidative Stress and Ceramide Signaling"

Pfizer/AFAR Grants

2004 Pfizer/AFAR Innovations in Aging Research Grant Recipients

Zheng-Yi Chen, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Massachusetts General Hospital: "Hair Cell Regeneration Through Cell Division"

Jay Edelberg, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Weill Medical College of Cornell University: "Cardiac Myocyte Derivation from Aging Bone Marrow Cells"

Biao Zheng, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine: "Overcoming Age-Associated Immunte Deficiency by Immune Complex Vaccination"

2003 AFAR/Pfizer Research Grant Recipients in Metabolic Control and Late Life Diseases

Yih-Woei C. Fridell, Ph.D., Instructor, University of Connecticut Health Center: "Mitochondrial Uncoupling and Aging"

Mary J. Kelley, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, Oregon Health Sciences University: "Integrin Sensing in Late-Onset Glaucoma"

Kevin R. Short, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine, Mayo Clinic: "Age Effects on Mitochondria: From Gene to Function in Different Tissues"

Hong Yang, M.D., Research Assistant Professor, Meharry Medical College: "Age-related Increase in the Sensitivity of Endothelial Cells to Oxidized Lipids: the Role of Reactive Oxygen Species"

2002 AFAR/Pfizer Research Grant Recipients in Immunology and Aging

Christopher Forsyth, Ph.D., Instructor, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center: "Effect of Aging on Integrin Regulation of MMP-13 in Human Chondrocytes"

Lap Ho, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, Mount Sinai School of Medicine: "Characterizing the Influence of Immune Inflammatory Activities in the Clinical Progression of Alzheimer's Disease Dementia"

Laura Anne Vogel, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Illinois State University: "Generation of Memory Responses by Aged B-Lymphocytes"

2001 AFAR/Pfizer Research Grant Recipients in Hormones and Aging

Anne Cappola, M.D., Assistant Professor, University of Maryland: A Androgens, Myostatin, and Sarcopenia in Older Women

Naibedya Chattopadhyay, Ph.D., Instructor, Brigham & Women = s Hospital: A Anabolic Actions of Ca2+- Sensing Receptor in Osteoblastic Cells

Karyn Frick, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Yale University: A Estrogen Replacement in Middle-Aged Female Mice: Implications for the Treatment of Menopausal Women

Joseph Zmuda, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh: A Molecular Epidemiology of Sex Steroid Metabolism Genes and Bone Mass in Afro-Caribbean Men

2000 AFAR/Pfizer Research Grant Recipients in Age-related Neurodegenerative Diseases

Azad Bonni, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School: "Neurotrophin Regulation of Amyloid -induced Neuronal Degeneration and Cell Death"

Frank LaFerla, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of California, Irvine: "Molecular Determinants of Presenilins in Intracellular Calcium Signaling Pathways"

James Lah, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Emory University: "Normal and Abnormal Function of Presenilin-1 in Endosomes"

Glenn Telling, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky Medical Center: "In Vitro Studies of Human Prions"

Glenn/AFAR Research Grant Program for Postdoctoral Fellows

2004 Glenn/AFAR Postdoctoral Fellows

Paul Allen, Ph.D., Research Associate, University of Rochester: "Aging-related Neural Desynchronization in the Auditory Brainstem"

Johannes Bauer, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Connecticut Health Center: "The Role of p53 in Life Span Extension"

Robert Dekroon, Ph.D., Fellow, Duke University Medical Center: "The Role of Intracellular Pathways Mediated by Lipoproteins in the Regulation of Apoptosis"

Rugang Zhang, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Associate, Fox Chase Cancer Center: "Molecular Basis of Cellular Senescence"

2003 Glenn/AFAR Postdoctoral Fellows

Arjumand Ghazi, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, San Francisco: "Role of the Somatic Gonad in the Regulation of Caenorhabditis elegans Aging"

David W. Killilea, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute: "Cellular Aging Alters Intracellular Iron Homeostasis"

Gawain McColl, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Buck Institute for Age Research: "The Role of KU70 in Stress Resistance and Aging"

Andrej Podlutsky, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, University of Idaho: "Stress Tolerance and Bat Aging"

2002 Glenn/AFAR Postdoctoral Fellows

Adam Gazzaley, M.D., Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Berkeley: "Neural Mechanisms of Memory Function in Normal Aging"

Dejan Milatovic, Ph.D., Research Fellow, Vanderbilt University: "Cerebral Oxidative Damage in the Models of Advanced Age, Inflammation and Excitotoxicity"

Anne Simon, Ph.D., Fellow, California Institute of Technology: "Study of Long-Lived Mutants of the Ecdysone Receptor"

Meng-Ping Tu, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Research Associate, Brown University: "Yeast Restriction in Juvenile State Extends Adult Lifespan in Drosophila Melanogaster"

2001 Glenn/AFAR Postdoctoral Fellows

Debdutta Bandyopadhay, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Associate, Baylor College of Medicine: A Role of Histone Deacetylation in Melanocytes Senescence

Kathy Barsz, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Rochester Medical Center: A The Effect of Aging on Physiological Correlates of Masked Intensity Judgements

Nilufer Ertekin-Taner, M.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville: A Identification of the Novel Late-onset Alzheimer = s Disease Gene on Chromosome 10 Using Plasma Amyloid Beta Levels as a Surrogate Genetic Marker

Faith Gunning-Dixon, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania: A The Neural Basis of Age-related Declines in Episodic Memory

Kimmo Hatanpaa, M.D., Ph.D., Clinical Fellow, Johns Hopkins University: A Catabolism of Alzheimer Amyloid Beta-protein

Shunai Jiang, M.D., Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Emory University: A Fas Ligand and Fas in Aging

Pankaj Kapahi, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Scholar, California Institute of Technology: A Isolation and Characterization of Genes that Extend Lifespan and Prevent Neurodegeneration Using Drosophila Melanogaster as a Model System

Plamen Penev, M.D., Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, The University of Chicago: A Poor Sleep Quality and Testosterone Decline in Older Men

Claus Pietrzik, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, San Diego: A Role of the LRP in Cytoplasmic Domain in APP Processing

Leanne Rae Stewart, Ph.D., Research Associate, Washington University School of Medicine: A The Involvement of Mutant PrP Accumulation and Apoptosis in Neurodegeneration in Tg(PG14) Mice

Beeson Career Development Award

2004 Beeson Scholars

Sandy Chang, M.D., Ph.D., MD Anderson Cancer Center: "Telomere Induced Genomic Instability in Premature Aging"

Cathleen Colon-Emeric, M.D., Duke University Medical Center: "Evidence-Based Medicine in the Skilled Nursing Facility"

William Dale, M.D., Ph.D., University of Chicago: "Emotions in Medical Decision Making in Older Adults"

Lee Goldstein, M.D., Ph.D., Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women's Hospital: "Alzheiimer's Disease Beta-Amyloid in the Lens"

Cary Gross, M.D., Yale University: "The Impact of Comorbidity on Older Cancer Patients"

John Lehman, M.D., Washington University: "Mitochondria Control by PCG-1a in Young and Aging Heart"

Andrew Lieberman, M.D., Ph.D., University of Michigan: "Modifiers of Polyglutamine Toxicity"

Atul Malhotra, M.D., Ph.D., Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women's Hospital: "Aging Influence on the Development of Sleep Apnea"

Marcin Sadowski, M.D., New York University School of Medicine: "Blocking ApoE/ABeta Binding as a novel AD therapy"

Catherine Sarkisian, M.D., University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine: "Intervention to Raise Octogenarians' Walking Levels"

Clemens Scherzer, M.D., Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women's Hospital: "Genomic and Genetic Analysis of Parkinson's Disease"

Lisa Silbert, M.D., Oregon Health Sciences University: "White Matter Change and CNS Process in the Elderly"

Joe Verghese, M.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine: "Latent Mobility Abnormalities and Disability"

2003-2006 Beeson Scholars

Meredith Hawkins, M.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine: "The Role of Nutrient Excess in Mediating the Insulin Resistance of Aging"

Michael Irizarry, M.D., Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital: "Beta-secretase and Alzheimer's Risk with Aging"

Kenneth Langa, M.D., Ph.D., University of Michigan: "Long-term outcomes of Caring for a Disabled Spouse"

Sarah Lisanby, M.D., Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons: "Brain Stimulation and Pharmacological Strategies to Reduce the Cognitive Side Effects of ECT in Geriatric Depression"

Jack Parent, M.D., University of Michigan: "Stimulation of Endogenous Neural Stem Cells to Promote Recovery after Stroke"

Henry Paulson, M.D., Ph.D., University of Iowa: "RNA interference (RNAi) as a Novel Therapy for Age-Related Disease"

Elizabeth Phelan, M.D., University of Washington: "Improving Primary Care of Older Adults"

Wendy Post, M.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine: "Vascular Properties and Genetics Associated with Longevity in the Amish"

Norman Sharpless, M.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: "The Role of the Tumor Suppressor P16 ink4a in Mammalian Aging"

Michael Shlipak, M.D., M.P.H., University of California, San Francisco: "Preventing Heart Failure in Elderly Persons with Chronic Renal Insufficiency"

Reisa Sperling, M.D., Harvard Medical School/Brigham & Women's Hospital: "Investigating the Neural Underpinnings of Memory Impairment in Aging and Early Alzheimer's Disease"

2002-2005 Beeson Scholars

David Casarett, M.D., University of Pennsylvania: "Improving Decision-Making About End-of-Life Care and Promoting Earlier Referral to Hospice"

James Galvin, M.D., Washington University School of Medicine: "In Vitro and In Vivo Models of Synucleinopathies"

Brad Johnson, M.D., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine: "Functions of the Werner Syndrome Family of Proteins in Telomerase-Deficient Mice and Yeast"

Lorraine Kyne, M.D., M.P.H., Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: "Effect of Probiotic Therapy on Clinical Outcome and Immune Response to C. Difficile Infection in Elderly Patients"

Albert La Spada, M.D., Ph.D., University of Washington: "Development of Therapies for Polyglutamine Neurodegeneration and Related Disorders"

Michael Lin, M.D., Weill Medical College of Cornell University: "Mitochondrial DNA Mutations in Aging and AlzheimerÕs Disease"

Robert Marciniak, M.D., Ph.D., UTHSCSA: "Oxidative Stress and Telomere Maintenance: In vitro and In vivo Studies"

Laura Niklason, M.D., Ph.D., Duke University: "Lifespan Extension of Vascular Cells for Tissue Engineering"

Michael Schwarzschild, M.D., Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital: "Sorting Out Clues to ParkinsonÕs Disease: Caffeine, Postmenopausal Estrogen and Addiction"

Jurgen Unutzer, M.D., M.P.H., UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute: "Improving Care for Chronic Pain and Late Life Depression"

2001-2004 Beeson Scholars

Asa Abeliovich, M.D, Ph.D., Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Molecular Analysis of the Familial Parkinson Disease Genes Parkin and Alpha-Synuclein

Katrin Andreasson, M.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Mechanisms of Cyclooxygenase-2 Dependent Neuronal Injury in Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease

Eric Coleman, M.D., M.P.H., University of Colorado Health Science Center, Reducing Care Fragmentation Across Sites of Geriatric Care

Jay Edelberg, M.D., Ph.D., Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Restoration of Senescent Cardiac Angiogenic Activity by Bone Marrow Transplantation

Wesley Ely, M.D., M.P.H., F.C.C.P., Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, The Role of Delirium and Psychoactive Drug Use on Outcomes Following Mechanical Ventilation in Older Persons

Roger Hajjar, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Targeting Signaling Pathways in Aging Hearts by Gene Transfer

James Mastrianni, M.D., Ph.D., University of Chicago School of Medicine, Aging and the Misfolded Protein: Prion Disease as a Model for Disaggregating the Aggregate

Michael Naski, M.D., Ph.D., University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Matrix Homeostasis and Gene Expression in Aging Cartilage

Cary Reid, M.D., Ph.D., Yale University School of Medicine, Determining the Impact of Back Pain on Physical and Social Disability Among Older Adults

Mary Whooley, M.D., University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, Mechanisms of Association Between Depression and Poor Health Outcomes in Older Patients

Kristine Yaffe, M.D., University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, Determinants of Cognitive Change and its Outcomes in African-American and White Elders

2000-2003 Beeson Scholars

Brock Beamer, M.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine: "Genetic variations in PPAR- and RxR : Effects on Body Composition and Metabolism in Older Adults"

Gunnar Gouras, M.D., Weill College of Medicine of Cornell University: "Neuronal A-beta Accumulation: Aging and Oxidative Stress"

Mary Beth Hamel, M.D., M.P.H., Harvard Medical School: "Decision Making and Outcomes for Elderly Patients with Surgical Problems"

Joshua Hare, M.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine: "The Role of Nitric Oxide in Aging-Related Cardiovascular Adaptions"

Fuki Hisama, M.D., Yale University School of Medicine: "The Molecular Basis of Aging in Werner Syndrome"

Jason Karlawish, M.D., University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine: "Caregiver and Patient Preferences for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease"

Jean Kutner, M.D., M.S.P.H., University of Colorado Health Science Center: "Symptom Management at the End of Life: Decreasing Distress and Improving Quality of Life"

Brett Lauring, M.D., Ph.D., Columbia University College of Physician and Surgeons: "An In- Vitro Assay for Gamma Secretase Processing of the Amyloid Precursor Protein"

Frank Lee, M.D., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine: "Protein Kinases and Alzheimer's Disease"

R. Sean Morrison, M.D., Mount Sinai School of Medicine: "Interventions to Improve Pain Outcomes"

Scott Small, M.D., Columbia University College of Physician & Surgeons: "Functional Analysis of the Hippocampal Formation in Age-Related Memory Decline"

1999-2002 Beeson Scholars

Jeanne Anderson, M.D., University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio: "Clinical Trials in Age-Associated Leukemia and Leukemia-Related Diseases with Correlative Studies of Clonality and Functional Status"

Kenneth Covinsky, M.D., M.P.H., University of California, San Francisco: "Outcomes of Frail Nursing Home-Eligible Elders Living in the Community"

Matthew Frosch, M.D., Ph.D., Harvard Medical School: " Estrogen, Aging and Alzheimer's Disease Mechanisms and Model Systems"

Daniel Laskowitz, M.D., Duke University Medical Center: "Apolipoprotein E, Microglial Activation, and Neurodegenerative Disease"

Dale Leitman, M.D., Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco: " Role of Coactivators in Estrogen Repression of Gene Transcription"

Richard Lin, M.D., University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio: "The Role of Oxidative Stress in Aging Effects on Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Growth and Signal Transduction"

David Lynch, M.D., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania: "Excitotoxicity in Neurodegenerative Disorders: New Understanding from NMDA Receptor Subtypes"

Edward Marcantonio, M.D., Harvard Medical School: "Reducing Delirium in Post-Acute Care: An Interventional Trial"

Mitchell Nobler, M.D., Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons: "Serotonin and PET Neuroimaging in Normal Aging and Geriatric Depression"

Anne Louise Oaklander, M.D., Ph.D., Harvard Medical School: "Cellular Mechanisms of Chronic Neuropathic Pain"

Thomas Rando, M.D., Ph.D., Stanford University School of Medicine: "Mechanisms of Age-Related Muscle Atrophy: The Role of Cellular Antioxidant Defenses"

1998-2001 Beeson Scholars

Helene Benveniste, M.D., Ph.D., Duke University Medical Center: "In Vivo Magnetic Resonance Microscopy and Alzheimer's Disease: Defining and Staging the Progression of Alzheimer's Pathology in Transgenic Mice Overexpressing Beta Amyloid Protein"

Laura Dugan, M.D., Washington University School of Medicine: "Mechanisms of Neuroprotection by C60 Derivatives: Relevance to Oxidative Stress during Aging"

Terri Fried, M.D., Yale University School of Medicine: "A Longitudinal Study of Terminally Ill Patient's Preference for Care"

Anne Kenny, M.D., University of Connecticut Health Center: "Mechanisms of Bone Loss in Older Men with Low Testosterone Levels"

Alison Moore, M.D., M.P.H., UCLA School of Medicine: "Screening for Harmful and Hazardous Drinking in Older Persons"

Thomas Perls, M.D., Harvard Medical School: Familiality of Extreme Longevity and Mitochondrial Longevity-Assurance Genes in Centenarian Subjects"

Eric Peterson, M.D., Duke University Medical Center: "Toward a Rational Use of Revascularization in the Aged"

R. Scott Turner, M.D., Ph.D., University of Michigan Medical School: "The Role of X11a in Amyloid Precursor Protein"

Jeremy Walston, M.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine: "Molecular Etiologies of Age-Related Changes in Body Composition"

Raymond Yung, M.D., University of Michigan Medical School: "Lymphocyte Homing in Aging"

1997-2000 Beeson Scholars

Nir Y. Barzilai, M.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine: "The Effect of Age-Dependent Increase in Visceral Fat on Insulin Action and Secretion"

Michele F. Bellantoni, M.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine: "Growth Hormone and Sex Steroid Effects on Bone in Older Women"

James R. Burke, M.D., Ph.D., Duke University Medical Center: "Polyglutamine Proteins as a Model System for Studying Protein Aggregation and Cell Death in Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease"

Mark T. D'Esposito, M.D., University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine: "Functional Neuroimaging Studies of Working Memory in Normal Human Aging"

Thomas M. Gill, M.D., Yale University School of Medicine: "Identifying the Events That Precipitate Functional Dependence Among Community-living Elderly Persons"

Bernard F. Godley, M.D., Ph.D., University of Texas Medical Branch: " Role of Oxidative DNA Damage and Repair in Age-Related Macular Degeneration"

Todd E. Golde, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Mayo Medical School: "Proteolytic Generation of the Amyloid b Peptide in Alzheimer's Disease"

Helen Hoenig, M.D., M.P.H., Duke University Medical Center: "An Investigation of the Physical Costs and the Quality of Life Benefits of Wheelchairs for Older Persons"

Elan D. Louis, M.D., College of Physicians & Surgeons of Columbia University: "Functional Correlates of Essential Tremor"

Charles A. Thornton, M.D., University of Rochester School of Medicine: "Pathophysiology of Myotonic Dystrophy, a Progeroid Syndrome"

1996-1999 Beeson Scholars

Christopher M. Callahan, M.D., Indiana University School of Medicine: The Use of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy among Older Adults in a Community Setting.

Robert W. Doms, M.D., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania: STM2, APP, and Alzheimer's disease.

P. Murali Doraiswamy, M.D., Duke University Medical Center: Apolipoprotein E type 4 Allele and Cerebral Metabolism in Relatives at Risk for Familial Alzheimer's Disease.

Harlan M. Krumholz, M.D., Yale University School of Medicine: Clinical Spectrum, Treatment and Outcome of Elderly Congestive Heart Failure Patients.

Makau Lee, M.D., Ph.D., University of Mississippi Medical Center: Studies on Aging, Dietary Restriction and Gastric Mucosal Defense.

Richard F. Loeser, Jr., M.D., Rush Medical College: Growth Factors and Aging in Cartilage.

Karen M. Prestwood, M.D., University of Connecticut Health Center: Bone Turnover and the Response to Estrogen in Older Caucasian, Hispanic and African-American Postmenopausal Women.

May J. Reed, M.D., University of Washington School of Medicine: Angiogenesis, the Extracellular Matrix, and Wound Repair in Aging.

Robert G. Smith, M.D., Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine: Role of Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel Autoantibodies in Motoneuron Injury in ALS.

1995-1998 Beeson Scholars

Ashley Bush, M.B., B.S., D.P.M, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School: Zinc Exposure as a Risk Factor for Alzheimer's Disease.

Ted M. Dawson, M.D., Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine: Gene Therapy for Neurologic Disorders.

David M. Holtzman, M.D., Washington University School of Medicine: Use of Animal Models and Neuronal Cell Lines to Study Alzheimer's-like Neurodegeneration.

Edward H. Koo, M.D., University of California, San Diego School of Medicine: Focus: The mechanism of amyloid beta-protein (AB) production from the amyloid precursor protein (APP) in neurons.

Mark S. Lachs, M.D., M.P.H., Cornell University Medical College: The Morbidity and Mortality of Elder Abuse.

Frank M. Longo, M.D., Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine: New Strategies for Treating Neurodegenerative Disease.

Richard A. Marottoli, M.D., M.P.H., Yale University School of Medicine: Older Driver Assessment: A Multilevel Approach

Lina M. Obeid, M.D., Medical University of South Carolina: Lipid Signal Transduction in Cellular Senescence.

Peter Reaven, M.D., University of California, San Diego School of Medicine: The Relationship of Aging and Antioxidant Defense Systems to Artherosclerosis.

Alan R. Shuldiner, M.D., University of Maryland School of Medicine: Genetics of Diabetes and Obesity in the Elderly.

Merck/AFAR Junior Investigator Awards in Geriatric Clinical Pharmacology

2004 Merck/AFAR Junior Investigators

Oumitana Kajkenova, M.D., University of Arkansas for Medical Science: "Statin-Induced Muscle Symptoms in the Elderly"

Josh Peterson, M.D., M.P.H., Vanderbilt University: "Guided Prescription of Psychotropic Medications for Geriatric Inpatients"

2003 Merck/AFAR Junior Investigators

Joseph V. Agostini, M.D., Yale University School of Medicine: "The Computer-based Intervention to Decrease Psychoactive Medication Use in Hospitalized Older Patients: Identifying Barriers to Improved Prescribing"

Robert G. Riekse, M.D., Seattle Institute for Biomedical & Clinical Research: "Differential Effects of Statins on A-Beta in Cerebrospinal Fluid"

2002 Merck/AFAR Junior Investigators

Cynthia Carlsson, M.D., Madison VA GRECC: "The Effects of Simvastatin on the Pathobiology of AlzheimerÕs Disease"

Margaret Pisani, M.D., Yale University School of Medicine: "Impact of Sedative Use on Outcomes in Older Intensive Care Unit Patients"

2001 Merck/AFAR Junior Investigators

Arti Hurria, M.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: A Pharmacokinetics of Docetaxel in the Elderly

Cathy Lee, M.D., University of Michigan: A Effect of Transdermal Estrogen and Oral Soy Isoflavone on Sex Hormones-binding Globulin Levels in Older Postmenopausal Women

2000 Merck/AFAR Junior Investigators

Helen Edelberg, M.D., Mount Sinai School of Medicine: "Medication Management for Older Adults"

Wesley Ely, M.D., M.P.H., F.C.C.P., Vanderbilt University School of Medicine: "Delirium in the ICU: Measurement and Outcomes"

Ellison Medical Foundation/AFAR Senior Postdoctoral Fellows

2004 Ellison/AFAR Recipients

Shermali Gunawardena, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, San Diego: "Axonal Transport and Neurodegenerative Disease: Is Perturbation in Vesicular Transport an Early Neuronal Dysfunction Pathway?"

Jeong Hyeon Park, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, The Rockefeller University: "The Roles of p53-interacting Chromatin Modifying Complexes in Human Cellular Aging"

Sarah Sagi, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, San Diego: "NSAID Modulation of y- and e-secretase"

2003 Ellison/AFAR Recipients

Haim Cohen, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Medical School: "DNA Break Repair Controlled by SIRT1 Via the Deacetylation of Ku70 and Ku80"

Coleen T. Murphy, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, San Francisco: "Discovery and Analysis of C. elegans Lifespan Genes"

Marc F. Poitras, Ph.D., Research Associate, New York University School of Medicine: "Molecular Mechanisms of Tankurase1-induced Telomere Elongation"

John A. Hartford/AFAR Academic Geriatrics Fellowship Program

2002 John A. Hartford/AFAR Fellows

Julie Bynum, M.D., M.P.H., Johns Hopkins University: "Analysis of Expenditures for AD Patients"

Lisa Honkanen, M.D., Weill Medical College of Cornell University: "External Hip Protectors"

Grace Jenq, M.D., Yale University School of Medicine: "Determining Adherence to a Pain Management Model in the Nursing Home Setting"

Jennifer Kapo, M.D., University of Pennsylvania: "How can we improve services for the elderly at the end-of-life?"

Reena Karani, M.D., Mount Sinai School of Medicine: "An Evidence-Based Unfolding Case with a Linked Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)"

Victor Legner, M.D., University of Washington School of Medicine: "The Importance of Medical Comorbidity and Preoperative Functional Status in Predicting Functional Decline in Older Adults Undergoing Nonemergent Surgery"

Cari Levy, M.D., University of Colorado Health Science Center: "Hospital Versus Nursing Home: Determinants of Site and Cost of Death Among Nursing Home Residents"

Robert Pignolo, M.D., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania: "The GNAS1 Gene as a Regulator of Osteoblast Differentiation and Molecular Target for the Stimulation of Bone Formation"

James Rudolph, M.D., Harvard Medical School: "Relationship of Introperative Trans Cranial Doppler (TCD) Output to Delirium in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery"

David Sengstock, M.D., University of Michigan: "Predictors of Orthostatic Hypotension: Non-Invasive Arterial Stiffness Measurement"

Crystal Simpson, M.D., Johns Hopkins University: "Factors Influencing Outcomes for Older African American Women with Asthma"

Daniel Wollman, M.D.,Ph.D., Mount Sinai School of Medicine: "Perfusion MRI of Parietotemporal Cortex and Hippocampus in AlzheimerÕs Disease"

Laurel Yates, M.D., Harvard Medical School: "Beyond Bone Density: A Prospective Study of Hip Geometry and Structural Differences as Predictors of Hip Fracture Among Elderly Long-Term Care Residents"

2001 John A. Hartford/AFAR Fellows

Howard Aizenstein, M.D., Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh Medical Center: A Functional MRI Investigations of the Frontostriatal System in Late-Life Depression

Robert Blackmon, M.D., Medical College of Virginia: A Does Reading Religious Literature Reduce Cortisol Secretion in Elderly Patients?

Cynthia Boyd, M.D., M.P.H., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine: A Hospitalization and Disability in a Cohort of Moderately to Severely Disables Older Women

Cynthia Brown, M.D., Yale University School of Medicine: A Immobility in the Hospitalized Elderly Patient; Prevalence and Impact on Functional Decline

Bruce Carruthers Bonnel, M.D., Harvard Medical School: A Medications as Risk Factors for Falls Among the Hospitalized Elderly

Yohannes Endeshaw, M.D., M.P.H., Emory University School of Medicine: A Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea more Prevalent in Older Adults with Nocturia Compared to Older Adults without Nocturia?

Karen Glasser Scandrett, M.D., Harvard Medical School: A Measures of Religiosity in a Frail and Aged Jewish Population: Validity and Application

Michele Lee, M.D., University of New Mexico: A Develop and Evaluation Hospice/Palliative Care Training of Family Practice Residents

Felice LePar, M.D., University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine: A Older Cancer Patients = Attitudes Toward Participation in Research

Stacie Levine, M.D., Mount Sinai Medical Center: A Risk Factors and Outcomes in Hospitalized Adults over Age 85"

Karol Mansilla, M.D., Medical College of Virginia: A Mechanisms of Relative Hypogonadism in Aging Men

Stacy Meyer, M.D., University of Colorado Health Science Center: A The Effects of Palliative Care Education on Residents = Knowledge, Attitudes, and Care of Patients

Jennifer Moore, M.D., Duke University Medical Center: A A Study to Determine Specific Barriers to a Good Death at a Tertiary Care, Academic Medical Center and to Initiate Change

Jennifer Rhodes-Kropf, M.D., Mount Sinai School of Medicine: A How Interns Learn to Care for Dying Patients

Robert Riekse, M.D., University of Washington School of Medicine: A Vascular Risk Factors in Alzheimer = s Patients with and without Cerebral Vascular Infarctions: A Clinico-Neuropathological Study

Xiangrong Shao, M.D., University of Maryland School of Medicine: A Longitudinal Assessment of Functional Performance in Older Peripheral Arterial Disease

Lisa Walke, M.D., Yale University School of Medicine: A Longitudinal Study of the Burden of Symptoms Among Community Dwelling Elders with Terminal Diseases

Chia-Ying Wang, M.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center: A The Effect of Potassium Citrate on Calcium Balance and Bone Metabolism in Healthy Elderly Women

Heidi Wierman, M.D., University of Rochester School of Medicine: A Novel Methods for Functional Assessment

2000 John A. Hartford/AFAR Fellows

Julie Beales, M.D., Medical College of Virginia: "Does the Resident Assessment Instrument Improve Identification and Treatment of Pressure Ulcer or Falls?"

Malaz Boustani, M.D., University of North Carolina: "Clinical Trial of the Effect of Donepezil on Aggressive Behavior in Institutionalized Persons with Moderate/Advanced Dementia and Severe Behavioral Problems"

Donna Brady Raziano, M.D., University of Pennsylvania: "Do ACE Units Work?"

Jennifer Breznay, M.D., Mount Sinai Medical Center: "Communication Among Health Professionals in the Home Care Setting"

Cynthia Carlsson, M.D., University of Wisconsin Medical School at Madison: "The Effect of Folic Acid Supplements on Endothelial Function in Older Adults with Hyperhomocystinemia"

Cathleen Colon-Emeric, M.D., Duke University Medical Center: "Improving Primary and Secondary Fracture Prevention in the Elderly"

Kathryn Dobmeyer, M.D., University of Washington: "Caregiver Training and Resident Satisfaction in Adult Family Homes"

Geraldine Fabregas, M.D., University of Connecticut Health Center: "The Effects of Testosterone on Cognitive Function in Men with Early Cognitive Decline"

Helen Fernandez, M.D., Mount Sinai Medical Center: "House Staff Awareness of the Older Inpatients' Risks for Developing 'Hazards of Hospitalization'"

Julie Gammack, M.D., University of Washington: "Development of an Expanded Geriatric Curriculum for Internal Medicine Residents and Medical Students at the University of Washington Medical Center"

Wendolyn Gozansky, M.D., M.P.H., University of Colorado Health Sciences Center: "Mechanisms of Visceral Fat Accumulation in Older Women"

Mitchell Heflin, M.D., Duke University Medical Center: "Screening for Occult Malignancy in the Elderly"

Cynthia Holzer, M.D., The University of Cincinnati: "Do Beliefs and Attitudes about Dementia Create Barriers to Appropriate Preventive Care?"

Peifeng Hu, M.D., Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles: "Pathophysiologic Mechanisms for Low Serum Cholesterol and High Mortality Association in the Elderly Population"

Lona Mody, M.D., University of Michigan: "Clinical Outcomes of Community Acquired Pneumonia in the Elderly: Importance of Functional Status"

Karen Morgan, M.D., Harvard Medical School: "The Response of Elders with Impaired Bladder Emptying to Pharmacologic Treatment for Urge Incontinence"

Maj-Stina Rudolph, M.D., University of California, Los Angeles: "A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of S-adenosylmethionine in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease"

Joseph Shega, M.D., University of Chicago: "Enteral Nutrition - Who should we PEG next? Reasons for Percutaneous Endoscopy Gastrostomy Tubes in Endstage Dementia Patients"

Dellara Terry, M.D., Harvard University: "New England Centenarian Off Spring Study"

Michi Yukawa, M.D., University of Washington: "Involuntary Weight Loss in the Older Adults: The Influence of Cytokines and Leptin"

Medical Student Geriatric Scholars Program

2004 RPS/Hartford/AFAR Medical Student Scholars

Yachna Ahuja, Case Western Reserve University
Hannah Alphs, Johns Hopkins University
Kathryn Artis, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Donald Banik, University of New England College of Medicine
Aisha Baqai, Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Russell Berger, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Gwen Bernacki, University of Buffalo-SUNY
Laurel Blackman, UNTHSC-Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
Brittany Bohinc, Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine
Yasmin Bootwala, Baylor College of Medicine
Julie Burke, St. Louis University School of Medicine
Joel Escobedo, University of Michigan
Anne Finefrock, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Maximilian Gomez-Trochez, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Matthew Hansen, Case Western Reserve University
Jennifer Hanson, Drexel College of Medicine
Maryam Haque, Drexel College of Medicine
Lianne Hirano, Yale University
Joey Kohatsu, University of Hawaii
Melissa Kujawski, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Cathy Liu, Emory University
Jeffrey Loh, Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Aleicia Mack, Oklahoma State University
Kristin Martin, Oklahoma State University
Loren Martinez, Ohio State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Betsy McGee, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Urbana-Champaign
Matthew Mei, Case Western Reserve University
Meredith Montero, University of Michigan
Leah Nakamura, University of Hawaii
Claude Nguyen, Medical College of Wisconsin
Barbara Overend, Emory University
Hasra Phillip, SUNY-Upstate Medical University
Lhasa Ray, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Sima Shah, Case Western Reserve University
Marc Simpao, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Anthony Sireci, Johns Hopkins University
Risa Small, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Amir Soumekh, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Hana Takusagawa, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Joseph Tang, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Elizabeth Tsai, UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine
Veronica Vasquez, Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Giorgio Veneziano, Case Western Reserve University
Pauline Wu, UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine
Cecile Zhao, Medical College of Wisconsin

2003 Hartford/AFAR Medical Student Scholars

Crystal Adam, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
April Alford, Baylor College of Medicine
Lisa Bowe, Ohio State University
Daniel Burdick, Johns Hopkins University
Michelle Cabrera, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Shannon Campbell, Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Connie Chang, Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Anne Chung, University of Arizona
Jarrod Collings, University of North Texas Health Science Center
Luis Cruz, University of Hawaii
Steven D'Sa, University of Michigan
Kirsten Dacal, University of Pittsburgh
Dilsher Dhoot, Chicago Medical School
Margaret Donlon, University of Rochester
Rachel Fogel, Johns Hopkins University
Michael Forney, Case Western Reserve University
Katherine Freeman, Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine
Matthew Garrett, Case Western Reserve University
Anne Halli, University of Alabama, Birmingham
Mary Hessert, University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine
Christopher Jones, Jefferson Medical College
Beth Justice, Emory University
Thomas Leeson, University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine
Serena Lo, University of Hawaii
Monica Majmundar, Emory University
Danielle McClellan, St. Louis University
Daniel Motter, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Cordelia Nason, Boston University
Anoma Nellore, University of Pennsylvania
Monica Oshita, University of Hawaii
Joon Hong Park, University of Virginia School of Medicine
Schonze Peck, Johns Hopkins University
Angela Peng, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Christopher Perkins, Baylor College of Medicine
Tracy Prachthauser, Medical College of Wisconsin
Carl Ratliff, Jr., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Elizabete Santos, University of New England College of Medicine
Sona Shah, Emory University
Janet Ei-Hua Shu, Brown University
Jennifer Stojan, University of Michigan
Kathleen Walker, Medical College of Ohio
Anthony Yin, St. Louis University
Beata Zubrowski, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

2002 Hartford/AFAR Medical Student Scholars

Stephanie Anderson, St. Louis University

Srilatha Atluri, Indiana University School of Medicine

Isabel Balderas, Harvard University

Amy Baxi, St. Louis University

Julia Becker, University of Michigan

Pablo Bedoya, Emory University

Michael Blair, University of Maryland, Baltimore

Jessica Bland, UTHSCSA

Catherine Bluteau, University of Michigan

Brooke Bosley, University of Pittsburgh

Amy Carroll, Emory University

Richard Carter, Jr., Baylor College of Medicine

Yamileth Cazorla-Lancaster, University of North Texas Health Science Center

Jessica Colburn, University of Pittsburgh

Alan Coon, St. Louis University

Rahul Desikan, Boston University

Lanelle Dulloog, University of Hawaii

Paul Edwards, University of Arkansas

Michael Ehrlich, Jefferson Medical College

Rebecca Epstein, Indiana University

Scott Genshaft, Case Western Reserve University

Lisa Giuli, Cornell University

Sheena Gleason, St. Louis University

Andrew Godbey, St. Louis University

Karim Gokal, Emory University

Divya Gupta, Northwestern University Medical School

Nancy Han, Ohio State University

Salma Haque, Louisiana State University

Lindsey Hartmann, University of Nebraska

Hebah Hefzy, Northeastern Ohio Universities

Jeffrey Highfill, University of Pittsburgh

Susan Hodes, University of California, Irvine

Julia Hsu, Boston University

Tracy Huynh, Boston University

Kelly Ishizuka, Ohio State University

D. Krysteu James, UTHSCSA

Beverly Johnson, Brown Medical School

Elizabeth Johnson, Medical College of Wisconsin

Abha Khandelwal, Ohio State University

Rose Khavari, University of Texas Medical Branch

Heidi Koerner, University of South Dakota

Izabela Koprowska, SUNY Downstate

Meenal Kulkarni, Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine

Lawrence Lazar, UCLA

Andrew Lee, Washington University

Elaina Lin, Johns Hopkins University

Nicole Longanecker, Vanderbilt University

Anne Mani, Johns Hopkins University

Kara Markham, University of Michigan

Veronica Mendoza-Jenkins, University of Washington

Aaron Mory, Thomas Jefferson University

Megan Muilenburg, University of North Dakota

Jae Park, Johns Hopkins University

Atisha Patel, Baylor College of Medicine

Oscar Penate, University of Washington

Carmel Person, University of Louisville

Joshua Phillips, University of Nebraska College of Medicine

Christine Pineda, University of Washington

Angela Poppe, Duke University

Rajeev Raghavan, Ohio State University

Kristen Rice, University of Colorado

Jeanne Robinson, Baylor College of Medicine

Bunja Rungruang, UAB

Amy Rybak, Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Christopher Sciortino, Case Western Reserve University

Karen Shahar, Baylor College of Medicine

Sara Shunkwiler, University of Iowa

Stephanie Sieg, Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Gabriel Silverman, University of Pittsburgh

Marc Simpao, UTHSCSA

Toby Smith, Western University

Margaret Smith, UAB

Tien-I Karleen Su, UCLA

Tomoko Tagawa, Finch University/Chicago Medical School

Connie Tang, Ohio State University

Monica Tegeler, St. Louis University

Katheryn Thomas, Emory University

Carmen Traywick, Emory University

William Triffo, Baylor College of Medicine

Jadwiga Truty, UCLA

Christopher Vernon, Western University of Health Sciences

Naveed Wagle, Chicago Medical School

Dexter Wong, Boston University

Rebecca Worrell, UAB

Brett Yamane, University of Hawaii

Sallis Yip, University of Hawaii

Chung Chi Yu, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

2001 Hartford/AFAR Medical Student Scholars

Jennifer Alzos, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Suzanne Arnold, Ohio State University

Karen Au, University of Pittsburgh

Sunyata Austin, Ohio University

Sarah Babineau, Brown University

Michon Bechamps, Eastern Virginia Medical School

Paula Becker, St. Louis University

Robert Bercovitch, Brown University

Christina Bertao, University of Hawaii

Lindsay-Rose Boynton, University of Michigan

Lynsey Brant, University of Pittsburgh

Shu-Hong Holly Chang, Johns Hopkins University

Elaine Cheng, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Sze Mei Chung, University of Hawaii

Calandra Diamond, Western University

Marcie Dreisbach, Ohio State University

Justin Endo, University of Nebraska

Joshua Evans, St. Louis University

Jessica Evert, Ohio State University

Elizabeth Fabre, St. Louis University

Cory Fraser, University of Hawaii

Marissa Garza, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine

David Geist, Yale University

Katherine Greco, Emory University

Amanda Hough, University of Michigan

Rania Ibrahim, Western University

Christine Jensen, University of Washington

Leslie Judd, University of California, Los Angeles

Sammy Kang, University of Maryland

Melissa Koehler, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine

Kimberly Kregoski, Wayne State University

Jennifer Krejci-Manwaring, University of Texas, Houston

Aileen Langston, Baylor College of Medicine

Emily Lazarou, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Bryan Lee, Washington University

Cheri Leng, University of Washington

Lesley Liu, University of Kansas

Jennifer Magalong Midwestern University

Sterling Malish, University of Hawaii

Susan Merel, The University of Chicago

Terrace Mucha, Ohio State University

Sara Pasquali, Duke University

Vasum Sri Sampath Peiris, University of Vermont

Kenan Penaskovic, University of Alabama, Birmingham

Tara Sanft, Medical College of Wisconsin

Jennifer Sardone, Ohio State University

Lewis Satterwhite, Emory University

Jennifer Schwartzhoff, Emory University

Melissa Sherman, University of Pittsburgh

Gregory Taylor, Howard University

Bob Thong, University of Washington

Emily Triana, Baylor College of Medicine

George Tsao, Western University

Kathleen Tschantz, Ohio State University

Sandra Vale, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Margaret Van De Water, Emory University

Sarah Van Epp, University of Nevada, Reno

Nicholas Van Wagoner, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Karen Wang, Baylor College of Medicine

Michelle Waugh, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Jennifer Yates, St. Louis University

2000 Hartford/AFAR Medical Student Scholars

Daniel Abbott, University of Washington

John Abbott, Emory University

Craig Alguire, University of Michigan

Tresa Almy-Albert, University of Rochester

Stefen Ammon, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center

Suzanne Arnold, The Ohio State University

Morad Askari, University of Pittsburgh

Amsalu Bizuneh, Emory University

Barbara Blumer, University of Kansas

Holly Burford, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Carol Chang, Western University of Health Sciences

Neil Coleman, University of Kansas

Kathleen Coyle, Jefferson Medical College

Michael Fang, Northwestern University

Parisa Farhi, University of Pittsburgh

Kelly Ann Gallina, Northeastern Ohio University

M. Mehdi Ghajarnia, University of Pittsburgh

Sukara Gregory, The Ohio State University

Rhea Hartley, University of Kansas

Jacquelyn Hartzler, Emory University

Douglas Holt, University of Pittsburgh

Andrea Hsia, University of Miami

Laura Hurst, The Ohio State University

Eric Kagaruki, Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Reiko Kayashima, University of Hawaii

Benjamin Kim, Northwestern University

Kristen Kiser, University of Washington

Deborah Koehn, Medical College of Virginia

Anna Kovalszki, University of Michigan

Katherine Krajewski, Wayne State University

Jennifer Krejci-Manwaring, University of Texas, Houston

Anjuli Kumar, Cornell University

Kindra Larson, University of Washington

Emily Lazarou, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Aaron Lear, The Ohio State University

Paula Lee-Valkov, Baylor College of Medicine

Shelley Lenamond, University of North Texas Health Science Center

Robin Levenson, Indiana University

Cecily Ling, University of Hawaii

Edna Ma, University of Colorado

Thomas May, University of North Texas Health Science Center

Katherine Morgan, Duke University

John Murray, Duke University

Heather O'Donnell, Washington University

Lyssa Ochoa, Baylor College of Medicine

Clifton Page, The Ohio State University

Amy Parish, University of Kansas

Camille Pedigo, Emory University

Pam Rajendran, Boston University

Timothea Ryan, University of Pittsburgh

Roland Saavedra, Finch University Medical School/The Chicago Medical School

Amit Shah, Baylor College of Medicine

Chelsea Sheppard, St. Louis University

Kelly Shimabukuro, Mount Sinai Medical School

Amy Simon, MCP Hahneman University

Kimberly Siu, University of Hawaii

Danielle Skirchak, University of Kansas

Adam Skolnick, Brown University

Michael Smith, St. Louis University

Jalal Soltanian-Zadeh, Ohio University College of Medicine

Ik Hyun Sung, MCP Hahneman University

Henry Tang, Western University of Health Sciences

Phu Binh Thai, Emory University

Leila Thanasoulis, Louisiana State University

Katheryn Thomas, Emory University

David Traul, Medical College of Ohio

Alexander Tsai, Case Western Reserve University

Sing Tsai, University of Pittsburgh

Scott Turner, St. Louis University

Asit Vora, University of South Carolina

Brent Weed, University of Nevada

Michael White, University of North Texas Health Science Center

James White, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Shawn Wilker, Case Western Reserve University

Deborah Yeh, Harvard University

Jeanette Yu, Northwestern University

Lawrence Zeidman, Northwestern University

Samuels Foundation/AFAR Medical Student Geriatric Scholars Program

2003 Samuels/AFAR Medical Student Scholars

Jonathan Austrian, Weill Medical School of Cornell University
Joseph Chiang, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Kerry Donegan, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Christin Knowlton, State University of New York at Stony Brook
Sarah Schellhorn, Wiell Medical College of Cornell University
Shauna Schwartz, State University of New York at Stony Brook

2002 Samuels/AFAR Medical Student Scholars

Jonathan Blau, SUNY Stony Brook

Kathryn Callahan, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Kenneth Chong, New York Medical College

Kimiko Domoto-Reilly, New York Medical College

Tina Fan, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Laura Fanning, Cornell University

Alla Feldbarg, CUNY Medical School

Mark Gripp, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Peyton Hays, Cornell University

Wei Wei Li, Sophie Davis School of Biomed. Ed.

Aisha Macedo, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Carmela Rocchetti, UMDNJ “ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Marja Samenfeld-Specht, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Jeremy Shelton, Cornell University

Lauren Snow, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Demian Szyld, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Justin To, SUNY Stony Brook

Irene Wu, UMDNJ

2001 Samuels/AFAR Medical Student Scholars

James Bartscher, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Martin Evers, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

David Halpern, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Daena Heller, SUNY-Downstate

David Kessler, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Diane Lewis, SUNY-Stony Brook

Lara Marcuse, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Mariah Quinn, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Seth Resnick, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Frederick Roediger, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Louisa Shair, SUNY-Downstate

Rebecca Starr, SUNY-Downstate

Joshua Steinerman, SUNY-Downstate

Heather Tauschek, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Andrew Wong, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

2000 Samuels Foundation/AFAR Medical Student Scholars

David Aaronson, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Janet Chieh, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School

Ji-Eun Susana Choi, Albert Einstein University

Maria Duda, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Michael Einstein, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Martin Evers, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Margaret Genovesi, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

David Gidseg, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Tamara Isakova, CUNY - Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education

Catherine Johnson, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Eleanore Kim, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Jeffrey Liu, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Esther Lu, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Amanda Lucero, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

John Palmieri, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Sophie Stein, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

The Lillian R. Gleitsman/AFAR Medical Student Geriatric Scholars Program

2004 Gleitsman/AFAR Medical Student Scholars

2003 Gleitsman/AFAR Medical Student Scholars

Glenn Foundation/AFAR Scholarships for Research in the Biology of Aging

2004 Glenn Foundation/AFAR Scholars

Ezana Azene, Johns Hopkins University: "Gene Therapy for Peripheral Neuropathic Pain"

Melynda Barnes, Mount Sinai School of Medicine: "Immunohistochemical analysis of spinal cords from disulfiram-treated G86R superoxide dismutase-1 transgenic mice"

Ala Berdichevsky, Massachusetts Institute of Techonology: "Identification of molecular targets of sir-2.1 gene, which promotes extension of lifespan of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans"

Eric Hau-Yun Chang, New York University: "Receptor dysfunction in double knock-in APP+PS1 mice"

Robi Goswami, Duke University: "Regulation of the Platelet-Derived Growth Factgor Receptor-B by G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase-2"

Jennifer Greenhall, University of California, San Diego: "The impact of fgf1 and fgf2 on the preservation of cortical neurons in the aging mouse"

Shilpa Iyer, University of Georgia: "Klstn-M1: a novel yeast model system to study telomere capping defects and recombinational telomere elongation"

William Ja, California Institute of Technology: "Characterization of methuselah, a drosophila G protein-coupled receptor associated with longevity"

Young Mok Jang, University of Florida, Gainesville: "Long-term caloric restriction (CR) as a strategy to prevent sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) stress induced cardiomyocytes apoptosis in vivo"

Jennifer Kwong, Weill Medical College of Cornell University: "Modulation of mitochondrial homeostasis by Bcl-2 in cells with mitochondrial DNA mutations"

Janelle Lauer-Fields, Florida Atlantic University: "Engineering and expression of ADMTS-4 and ADMTS-5, proteolytic enzymes involved in osteoarthritis progression"

Maria Lehtinen, Harvard University: "Characterization of the role of MST1 in oxidative stress and aging in caenorhabditis elegans"

Jacqueline Maffucci, University of Texas at Austin: "Hypothalamic Mechanisms for Reproductive Senescence in Aging Female Rats: Roles of NMDA Receptors and GnRH Neurons"

Patrick McLaughlin, University of Washington: "Proteomic Analysis of Proteins related to Inflammation in Parkinson's Disease"

Kathryn Moynihan, Washington University: "Deacetylation of the forkhead transcription factor FOX01 by mammalian Sir2a negarively regulates insulin gene expression in pancreatic b cells"

Xuan Nguyen, University of Kentucky: "Age-Dependent Alterations in Dopamine and the Nigrostriatal System in Prodynophin Knockout Mice"

Mohammed Ozair, Aga Khan University: "Analysis of Neural Stem Cell migration towards Brain Tumors by in vivo phage display"

Annalise Paaby, University of Pennsylvania: "Selection and Gene regulation of senescence in natural populations of drosophila"

Carlos Pantoja, University of California, San Francisco: "The involvement of DAF-16 and HSF-1 in the regulation of small heat shock protein genes"

Julie Plowden, Emory University: "Effects of Aging on the Kinetics and Strength of T cell-Antigen Presenting Cell Interactions"

Adolfo Sanchez-Blanco, University of Connecituct Health Center: "UCP5 deficiency mimics caloric restriction in drosophila melanogaster"

Kim Sciarretta, University of Chicago: "Modeling and Intermediate of beta-amyloid fibril formation"

Kun-Chih Kelvin Tsai, Harvard University: "Heterotypic interactions between stress-induced prematurely senescent stroma and neighboring epithelial cells in aging and cancer"

Lisa Whitson, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio: "Monomerization and Amyloid Formation of FALS-Associated Cu-Zn Superoxide Dismutase Mutants"

Brice Williams, Medical University of South Carolina: "Altered Neurotrophin Release in Age-Related Dementia"

2003 Glenn Foundation/AFAR Scholars

Scott B. Berger, University of Michigan: "The Use of Glycosidases as a Means of Correcting Age-Dependent Deficiencies of T-cell Function"

Jennifer Capla, New York University: "Investigating the Role of Adult Vascular Stem Cells in the Pathogenesis of Age-Related Disease"

Marci L. Chew, University of Pittsburgh: "Serum Anticholinergicity at Specific Muscarinic Receptor Subtypes"

Daniel J. Durand, Johns Hopkins University: "Myocardial Regeneration by Bone-marrow Derived Stem Cells in Old Versus Young Wistar Rats"

Andrew A. Grimm, Washington University: "The Functional Relationship Between an NAD Biosynthesis Enzyme and the NAD-Dependent Deacetylase, SIR2, in Mammals"

Mary A. Hancock, University of Utah: "Comparison of the Levels of Oxidative Damage Among European Mitochondrial Haplogroups Using Phylogenetic Analysis"

Jaime M. Hatcher, Emory University: "Effects of Chronic Dieldrin Exposure to Organotypic Slice Cultures of Rat Stratum and Nigra"

Kerry L. Hildreth, Duke University: "Molecular Mechanisms for Regulation of the Platelet-derived Growth Factor Receptor Beta by Serine Phosphorylation"

Renee Ho, University of Southern Alabama: "Enhancing Mitochondrial DNA Repair of Oxidative Damage as a Strategy to Delay the Effect of Aging in Neurons"

Steven Hobbs, University of Colorado: "The Role of Estrogen in Cortisol Induced Beta-Amyloid Production and Toxicity"

Troy A. Hornberger, University of Illinois, Chicago: "Regulation of Protein Synthesis Through Stretch Induced Signaling Events in Aging Skeletal Muscle"

Matthew R. Hosler, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey: "The Role of Oxidation in the TGF-beta Cataract Model"

James G. Jackson, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio: "Role of the Novel Transcription Factor MRG15 in Cell Proliferation and Senescence Escape"

Hanyu "Maggie" Liang, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio: "Characterization of Transgenic Mice Overexpressing Thioredoxin2 (Trx2)"

Janelle Mallet, University of Connecticut: "Effect of Parathyroid Hormone on Osteoblast Proliferation and Apoptosis in Fgf2 Knockout Mice"

Julien Muffat, Caltech: "Characterization of the Drosophila Aolipoprotein D Homolog as a Novel Gene Influencing Lifespan and Stress Resistance"

Tung Hoang Ngo, Ph.D., Western University College of Medicine: "Effect of Dietary Fat on Androgen-independent Prostate Tumor Growth in Scid Mice"