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Honors and Awards

“Swing For Healthy Aging” Tourney Honors Keith Renken

By Honors and Awards

More than 150 friends and supporters of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology participated in the 18th annual Rod Dedeaux Swing for Healthy Aging Golf Classic on September 22, 2014 at the Virginia Country Club in Long Beach, Calif. The event honored Keith Renken, former chairman of the golf tournament, current Board of Councilors member, and recipient of the Dean’s Medallion for his incredible service.

The golf tournament, named for USC “Coach of the Century” Rod Dedeaux, raises scholarship funds for USC Leonard Davis School students. This year’s tournament was one of the most successful in history, raising over $350,000 in funds and establishing the Renken Scholars program, which will provide $10,000 in support for the best and brightest gerontology students.

The scholarship program is a step towards honoring Renken’s years of support for the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. He has served as a member of the Board of Councilors for over 18 years and as chairman of the golf committee for almost as long.

“We are so grateful for the support and generosity of Keith and his family and are eager to honor his legacy through the creation of the Renken Scholars program,” said Dean Pinchas Cohen.

USC Leonard Davis Dean Emeritus Edward L. Schneider also expressed his gratitude for Renken, saying, “Keith has impacted the Davis School in so many ways. He helped me build a strong Board of Councilors and was integral in preserving the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology’s future.”

The USC Leonard Davis School is also greatly indebted to the generosity of Tournament Sponsors:

The UniHealth Foundation
The Renken Company
The Annenberg Foundation
Whittier Trust
Silverado
East West Bank
G&L Senior Care Properties, LLC
AAA
Care Trust REIT
Dart Entities
Deloitte
Key Bank
Al Plamann
Lancaster Pollard
Kevin Lyman
Mountain View Packaging
O’Melveny and Myers LLP
Silverado Senior Living
Trader Joe’s
Roger & Michele Dedeaux Engemann
Jeff Glassman & The Wallis Foundation
Ron Barnes & The Norris Foundation
Care & Compliance
Citizens Business Bank
Dean Emeritus Edward L. Schneider
Kazanjian Bros.
Catharine Reed & The Auen Foundation
SBR
Shari Thorell
Torrey Pines Bank
Anonymous

Sean Curran to Receive GSA’s 2014 Nathan Shock New Investigator Award

By Featured, Honors and Awards

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA)—the nation’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging—has chosen Sean P. Curran, PhD, of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology as the 2014 recipient of the Nathan Shock New Investigator Award.

The distinguished honor is given for outstanding contributions to new knowledge about aging through basic biological research. It was established in 1986 to honor Nathan Shock, PhD, a founding member of GSA and pioneer in gerontological research at the National Institutes of Health.

The award presentation will take place at GSA’s 66th Annual Scientific Meeting, which will be held November 5-9, 2014 in Washington, DC. This conference is organized to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, educators, and practitioners who specialize in the study of the aging process.

At USC, Curran is an assistant professor of biogerontology in the Davis School of Gerontology; of molecular and computational biology in the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences; and of biochemistry and molecular biology in the Keck School of Medicine.

His research focuses on molecular, genetic and biochemical approaches to identifying evolutionarily conserved mechanisms that regulate cellular and organism survival and longevity. He is combining genetic, molecular biology, and biochemical techniques and approaches to understanding the vital roles of metabolism in normal aging and aging pathology. He also is combining studies in worms with mammalian cell structure and mouse studies to validate the universality of his findings.

In February 2014, Curran published a widely discussed article in Cell Metabolism that explored a novel cellular pathway, alh-6, in C. elegans. The study demonstrated the worm’s ability to age successfully on various diets when the pathway was active; however, when the pathway was inactive due to a mutation, the worms would age prematurely when fed a diet outside of a specific regimen.

“We have identified a novel pathway that facilitates successful aging on multiple diets. We call this dietary adaptation, or the ability to use multiple types of diets,” Curran explained. “We believe this is just one of many types of gene/diet pairs out there. This pathway is highly conserved even in humans and perhaps is similarly utilized to facilitate adaptation to the diverse types of food we eat.”

Curran said receiving the Shock Award was an incredible honor, and he thanked the GSA for the recognition of his work.

“Previous Shock awardees are leaders in the field and researchers I look up to,” Curran said. “I am humbled to be included in this group.”

Curran has received national attention from the Ellison Medical Foundation, the American Federation for Aging Research, and the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research as well as earned a Mellon Mentoring Award for his work with USC students.

Press release courtesy of the Gerontological Society of America. Additional reporting by Beth Newcomb.

USC Leonard Davis MSG Student, Alexander Woodman, receives Academic Support Peer Achievement Award

By Diversity, Featured, Honors and Awards, Student Profile

Alex Woodman's Picture

Alexander Woodman, a student in the Master of Science in Gerontology program was recently awarded an Academic Support Peer Achievement Award for significant contributions advising and tutoring students who craved the opportunity to transfer to USC from other colleges and universities around the world. As a former Bruin who has flourished at USC, Alexander enjoys opening the door of opportunity for ambitious people who want to join the Trojan family.

Prior to coming to USC, Alexander built his career developing and facilitating culturally and socially-diverse intercultural discussions among academics studying social justices and cultural diversity. He worked closely with scholars from Thailand, Cambodia, France, and the United Arab Emirates to develop research papers studying public health and social issues facing local populations and migrants to these countries now facing minority status. He gained a passion for Autopathography, an experience where older adults explore how their health issues affect their daily lives. This experience opened his eyes to the reality of aging, and inspired his interest in research on aging.

Alexander is writing a research paper now, in collaboration with Dr. Aaron Hagedorn, analyzing data he collected in Thailand using surveys that investigate the health and social needs of migrants in Thailand accessing local health care resources. He plans to eventually become a scholar focused on issues of gerontology, global health, and life –span development. Alexander will spend his summer at Harvard University working collaboratively with faculty at Harvard School of Public Health on a research project. He enjoys mentoring and advising students as part of their and his professional development and interest in academic leadership.

Alexander is grateful to the scholarship donors who have made his dream of learning from the best and brightest in the field of Aging possible.

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