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May 2013

Congratulations, Class of 2013!

By Alumni, Featured, Students

resized_grad_2013Once again, the USC Leonard Davis School graduated its largest class. This year’s graduates shared a special honor: earning a heartfelt send-off from Pinchas Cohen in his first commencement as dean.

“As you well know, the USC Leonard Davis School is continuing to innovate and explore what it means to be on the cutting edge of aging research,” Cohen said in his address. “This is a never-ending mission that I know each of you will pursue in your own way. 2013 graduates of the USC Leonard Davis School, I salute you and wish you the best of luck in pursuing your goals.”

Bringing together faculty, staff and students, the graduation program also included award presentations from Tuck Finch and Sean Curran. Finch’s recognition of doctoral graduate Sebastian Brandhorst with the Heinz Osterburg prize moved many to tears when Brandhorst made a surprising announcement.

“I have asked that the financial aspect of the Osterburg prize be donated to Liza Cherney, a USC Leonard Davis alumna who was injured in the Boston Marathon bombing,” Brandhorst said, earning the day’s most heartfelt cheers.

Another highlight came when outgoing Student Gerontology Association president Cameron Chalfant delivered his speech.

“I am so honored to address all of you amazing graduates and I am proud to say that we’re leaving school ready for the next chapter,” Chalfant said. “I want to thank the faculty, staff and administration of the USC Leonard Davis School. They dedicate their lives to us students and they each deserve a round of applause and a handshake.”

After honoring the accomplishments of the faculty, including giving Susan Enguídanos the Dean’s Outstanding Faculty Award, Cohen turned the ceremony over to vice dean Kelvin J. A. Davies, who recognized the graduates, whose emotions—a bittersweet but triumphant celebration—mirrored those of their friends, family and supporters, who loudly cheered them on.

Before closing the commencement for a luncheon celebration, Cohen reminded graduates that they were Trojans, now and forever.

“As champions of seniors and science, I urge each of you to remain closely in touch with the School,” Cohen said. “After all, we are united by a shared dream—the dream of a better and more vibrant aging experience for all. Congratulations and Fight On!”

——————–

Heinz Osterburg Prize – Sebastian Brandhorst

engAGING Awards – Ashley Phillips, Bill Zhou, Yu-Ching Huang, Cameron Chalfant, Emily Loynachan, Erik Doan, Sahar Edalati, Barbara Howard

Order of Troy – Cameron Chalfant, Sahar Edalati, Sonia Hua, Ani Kolangian, Tom Maxim, Carin Wong, Bill Zhou

Renaissance Scholar – Craig Hung, Tom Maxim

Discovery Scholar Prize Finalists – Sahar Edalati, Craig Hung, Tom Maxim, Bill Zhou

Gerontology Minors – Brent Duddie, Craig Hung, Rachel Piperno, Hannah Schiweck

Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Aging – Cameron Chalfant, Jennifer Chang, Sahar Edalati, Kristina Field, Virginia Hazarian, Sonia Hua, Ani Kolangian, Tom Maxim, Ashley Phillips, Kim Vu, Carin Wong, Bill Zhou

Graduate Certificate in Gerontology – Susan Fair Clark, Gianna Henke, Brett Riley, Catherine Trifilo

Master of Long Term Care Administration – Clifford Tomb

Master of Arts in Gerontology – Tahmina Aziz, Shawna Conlan, Justin Eastwood, Liora Fink, Brian Gauthier, Barbara Howard, Yu-Ching Huang, Johanna Hurlock, Aarti Kumari, Katherine Landsman, Sheryl Lapidus, Theresa Mac Gregor, Suzanne Maisner, Carrie Mullin, Margaret Rosenau, Patricia Sacchetti, Veronica Sanchez Perez, Angela Whitlock, Kristen Wilhelm, Logan Wimer, Julia Wysong

Master of Aging Services Management – Nadia Akaweih, Monica Anderson, Vanessa Bruns, Erik Doan, Jascenna Haislet, Dong Liang, Fleur Martino, Kathleen Olsovsky, Richard Rosenberg, Wu Yang

Master of Science in Gerontology – Pavitra Anand, Amy Bassoff, Alyssa Bobman, Ernestine Campbell, Christine Chow, Sara Damiano, Winnie Dang, Maria De La Rosa, Lyndsay De Matteo, Stephen Gaucin, Elena Gonzalez, Lauren Iwata, En-Shu Kuo, Judith Lee, Emily Loynachan, Kaitlin Masatsugu, Minda Miyamoto, Cara Murayama, Michelle Pastrano, Kevin Proff, Jody Santos, Rachel Violette, Allyson Young

Doctor of Philosophy in Gerontology – Shieva Davarian, Carrie Donoho

Recognition of Affiliated Doctorate – Sebastian Brandhorst, Jennifer Geren

One Step Closer to the Alzheimer’s Magic Bullet…Maybe

By Featured

DSC_7223Imagine: a pharmaceutical prevention, treatment or even cure for Alzheimer’s.

It is almost impossible to overstate how monumental a development that would be, and how it would answer the prayers of millions.

Although science isn’t there—yet—a new study published in The Journal of Neuroscience spearheaded by USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology researchers offers a tantalizing glimpse of potential solutions.

“Our data suggests the possibility of drugs that can prevent and treat Alzheimer’s,” said lead author, professor and lab principal Christian Pike of the USC Leonard Davis School. “It’s just mouse data, but extremely encouraging mouse data.”

The team studied the effects of a class of drugs called TSPO ligands on male mice that were genetically engineered to develop Alzheimer’s disease, known as 3xTg-AD mice. Because a key mechanism of TSPO ligands is to increase production of steroid hormones, it was important to ensure that the mice had low levels of testosterone and related hormones before treatment. Younger mice were castrated while, in older mice, the decrease occurred as a normal consequence of aging.

“We looked at the effects of TSPO ligand in young adult mice when pathology was at an early stage, and in aged mice when pathology was quite severe,” Pike said. “TSPO ligand reduced measures of pathology and improved behavior at both ages.”

The most surprising finding for Pike and his team was the effect of TSPO ligand in the aged mice. Four treatments—once per week over four weeks—in aged 3xTg-AD mice resulted in significant lowering of Alzheimer’s-related pathology and improvements in memory behavior. This finding suggested the possibility that TSPO ligands can reverse components of Alzheimer’s disease, and thus have the potential to be useful in treatment.

For humans, these findings may indeed be quite significant.

“TSPO ligands are currently used in humans in certain types of neuroimaging. Newer TSPO ligands are at the clinical trials stage of development for treatment of anxiety and other conditions,” Pike said. “There is a strong possibility that TSPO ligands similar to the ones used in our study could be evaluated for therapeutic efficacy in Alzheimer’s patients within the next few years.”

In light of their findings, the team will next focus on understanding how TSPO ligands reduce Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Building on the established knowledge that TSPO ligands can act protective by reducing inflammation, shielding nerve cells from injury and increasing the production of neuroactive hormones in the brain, the team will study which of these actions is the most significant in fighting Alzheimer’s disease so they can develop newer TSPO ligands accordingly.

While Pike and his team acknowledge that their findings represent a very exciting possibility, they also stress that it is by no means a given.

“From the optimistic perspective, our data provide very promising findings with tangible potential benefits for both the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s,” Pike said. “On the pessimistic side, research scientists have developed many interventions that cured Alzheimer’s in mice but have failed to show significant benefits in humans. A critical direction we are currently pursuing is successfully translating these findings into humans.”

Co-authors of the study were Anna M. Barron (USC Leonard Davis School and Molecular Imaging Center, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Japan); Luis M. Garcia-Segura (Instituto Cajal, Spain); Donatella Caruso and Roberto C. Melcangi (Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Milan); and Anusha Jayaraman and Joo-Won Lee (USC Leonard Davis).

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health in support of the USC Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, directed by Helena Chui.

The Fight to End Elder Abuse

By Featured

USC Leonard Davis School doctoral student Marguerite DeLiema served as the keynote speaker for Fresno’s “Elder Abuse Prevention Conference 2013: Protecting an Aging Population,” held on May 8.

“I was very pleased to present on our 2012 study on the prevalence and risk factors of elder abuse among low-income Latino elders,” DeLiema said. “The topic of elder abuse prevalence in the low-income immigrant Latino community is particularly important to senior service providers in the Central Valley, where, for example, the population of Fresno County is 51% Latino compared to 38% statewide.”

Other speakers for the all-day event included Jill McCarthy from Hinds Hospice, who discussed “Hospice and Palliative Care: Preventing End-of-Life Abuse” and Prescott Cole, the senior staff attorney for the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, who covered “Facility Abuse and Veterans Aid and Attendance Fraud.”

Hosted by Castle Keep Elder Abuse Prevention and California Central Legal Services, the event drew nearly 200 attendees, many of them professionals from disciplines such as nursing, innovative aging technology, home health, hospice, criminal justice and adult protection.

“Our hope is that our research will guide healthcare and legal professionals in responding to neglect and abuse in immigrant communities,” DeLiema said. “It was so inspiring to hear from fellow professionals and community members and to see how interested they were in learning more about all the research we’re doing at the USC Leonard Davis School.”

A Graduate’s Gratitude

By Featured, Students

resized_-_Pynoos_Golden_Key_copyI’m graduating this year with a master of science degree in gerontology from the USC Leonard Davis School. As I reflect on my time in the department, I am filled with gratitude for the professors who positively influenced my collegiate experience and extended their support in academic mentorship and collaboration.

At the end of last year, I had an opportunity to nominate Dr. Jon Pynoos for induction into the USC Golden Key Chapter. I knew he would be an excellent candidate for this international honor society, which is dedicated to personal, professional and altruistic achievement.

Dr. Pynoos was my first professor at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. His “Policy, Values and Power in an Aging Society” class laid the foundation for my interdisciplinary and intergenerational coursework and inquisitive investigation of the field. I will never forget how formative our class discussions were, as we explored landmark legislation like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security as well as the social contracts between generations.

Dr. Pynoos always encouraged us to think for ourselves and to critically analyze existing aging frameworks while imagining novel and innovative ones. I remain grateful for his wisdom and kindness, and I credit him with helping launch me on a successful USC academic career.

I was thrilled when he was chosen as a Golden Key Honorary member, and proud to help celebrate him and his world-changing work at the New Member Recognition ceremony. Dr. Pynoos’s dedication to thoughtful evidence-based research, visionary leadership and compassionate mentoring has inspired countless students. It was meaningful to see him rewarded and recognized.

As I graduate from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology this May 2013, I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead of me. I hope to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Pynoos by emulating his kindness, generosity and sincerity. I want to inspire others as he has inspired and empowered me, and to make a positive difference in the world and our interdisciplinary field.

Because of his exemplary mentorship, dedication, and passion for autonomy and quality of life, I believe my fellow graduates and I can cultivate a culturally sensitive, personalized and collaborative model of care and support for the future. I am humbled to continue my academic and professional journey and carry with me the eloquent, rigorous and supportive direction of Dr. Pynoos.

Thank you, Dr. Pynoos, and all of the USC Leonard Davis School. Fight On!

The Psychology of Aging

By Featured

On a magnitude unthinkable to most Americans, China is rapidly undergoing a total transformation due to its population’s aging. The rest of the world looks to the east as these aging-related challenges and opportunities become reality in Asia.

Accordingly, as part of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA)’s ongoing initiative to increase collaborations between the United States and China, Bob Knight of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology was one of only four American faculty members sent to the Sino-US Forum on the Psychology of Aging.

“Like the rest of the world, East Asia is experiencing population aging. Many nations there have also experienced rapid economic development and social change, including varying degrees of Westernization,” Knight said. “These changes have disrupted traditional patterns of care for older adults and pose critical challenges for these countries.”

Although psychology as a science is fairly new to China and psychological practice even more so, officials and experts from all hemispheres are recognizing how important the field is, especially where it dovetails with gerontology.

“The focus on aging is even more recent and less developed yet. From the China side, collaboration can help develop these critical areas of research and practice,” Knight said. “From the US side, it provides a great opportunity to explore cultural differences in psychology of aging.”

Organized by GSA, Beijing Normal University and Tianjin Normal University, the Forum was founded to advance the twinned causes of psychology and gerontology in China, revealing universal similarities regardless of nationality or culture.

“The great majority of psychological disorders are similar across cultures, with some differences in prevalence rates and a few that are more specific,” Knight said. “As we have had more international research in psychological science over the last few decades, it has been somewhat surprising that most psychological processes are the same around the world.”

resized_Knight__China

Two Top-Tier Scientists

By Featured, Mitochondria
resized_-_K.Garcia_2

Krista Garcia, photo credit Morgan Levine

In honor of their outstanding accomplishments and limitless potential, two USC Leonard Davis School doctoral students ended the school year with a major reason to celebrate.

Krista Garcia was one of only two social scientists in the last seven years to win the R36 National Institute on Aging (NIA) Aging Research Dissertation Award, which supports two years of dissertation work as well as providing funds for additional expenses.

“Nearly half of men and a third of women will develop cancer in their lifetime. However, it is unclear what the long-term effects of cancer and its treatment are on survivors,” Garcia said. “I hope to address this research void and to improve our understanding of the adverse physical and cognitive health outcomes following a cancer diagnosis in older adults, which can inform interventions and help identify at-risk groups.”

Crediting her advisor, Eileen Crimmins, as well as the insight and guidance of postdoctoral researcher Jennifer Ailshire and research administrator/program manager Linda Hall, Garcia expressed gratitude for the Multidisciplinary Research Training in Gerontology Program.

“The success of my application is attributed to my outstanding mentoring team and to the strong institutional support I receive here at the USC Leonard Davis School,” Garcia said. “I am very grateful and very proud.”

Laura Corrales-Diaz Pomatto, photo credit Christine McDowell/The Image Artist

Laura Corrales-Diaz Pomatto, photo credit Christine McDowell/The Image Artist

Fellow USC Leonard Davis School doctoral student Laura Corrales-Diaz Pomatto earned a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, which will support three years of research with the possibility of additional expenses.

“This will provide me the opportunity to focus entirely upon research and to further explore the role of a mitochondrial stress response protein known as the Lon protease,” Corrales-Diaz Pomatto said. “I plan to solve the mystery of how it is regulated and to achieve one of my major goals: to be a part of a collaboration between gerontology and engineering to improve the aging process.”

Attributing enormous impact to the guidance of her mentor, Kelvin J.A. Davies, vice-dean of the USC Leonard Davis School, as well as to the discipline and camaraderie of rowing on USC’s crew team, Corrales-Diaz Pomatto says that being a Trojan has shaped her in more ways than she can count.

“The concept of ‘Fight On’ has become more than a school motto,” Corrales-Diaz Pomatto said. “It embodies how I hope to approach life—that regardless the challenges, I will continue to persevere.”

“With sterling records as students and scientists, both Krista and Laura represent the highest ideals of USC as well as those of the field of gerontology itself,” said USC Leonard Davis School dean Pinchas Cohen. “We are so proud that the National Institute on Aging and the National Science Foundation recognized how exceptional these two women are, and we can’t wait to see what they accomplish next.”

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