PhD Student Honored for Minority Health Research

USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology PhD student Lauren Brown was recently honored for her poster presentation on telomeres, aging, and minority health by the Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science (IAPHS).

From a blog post on the IAPHS site written by USC Leonard Davis Assistant Professor Jennifer Ailshire:

Lauren Brown made the case with her poster, “Does Telomere Length Indicate Biological, Physical & Cognitive Health Among White, Black & Hispanic Older Adults,” that population health scientists should consider whether new biomarkers improve our understanding of health among minority populations. Telomeres are repeating DNA sequences that cap the ends of chromosomes and gradually shorten with age. In a national study of adults over age 50, Lauren found that among older blacks and Hispanics, telomere length was not associated with any of the health indicators she examined. She examines racial and ethnic health disparities through a critical lens and, through her work, hopes to communicate the importance of using measures in population health research that can inform our understanding of minority health and health disparities.

Congratulations, Lauren!

Above photo: Brown chats with IAPHS Annual Meeting attendees.