Fall 1999

University of Colorado Denver

Volume 2, Number 2

After an extensive national search, Dr. Robert Schwartz has been selected as the new Head of the Division of Geriatric Medicine at UCD. Most recently, Dr. Schwartz was Professor and Attending Physician in geriatrics at the University of Washington (see Profile Section). He will add an important research and training component to our geriatrics program in basic and clinical research related to nutrition and exercise training in the elderly.

The Division of Geriatric Medicine also welcomes Wendy Kohrt, Ph.D., to the faculty. Dr. Kohrt has conducted extensive research on the effects of exercise training and hormone replacement therapy in elderly persons, most recently at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. We are pleased to have Dr. Kohrt join our geriatrics faculty at UCD.

Dr. Robert Schwartz has been
selected as the new Head of
the Division of Geriatric
Medicine at UCD.

Three new fellows began the geriatrics fellowship program in July 1999. Robin Yasui, M.D., Wendee Gozansky, M.D., and Michele Basche, M.D., were introduced to the program through a series of lectures throughout July and August. Faculty members from throughout the Health Sciences Center who are affiliated with the Hartford/Jahnigen Center of Excellence summarized their aging-related research in order to introduce the fellows to potential mentors and research activities in aging.

The 1999 American Geriatrics Society/American Federation for Aging

Research (AGS/AFAR) Annual Scientific Meeting was held May 19-23 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The first annual Dennis W. Jahnigen Memorial Award was presented at this year's meeting, in honor of the late Dennis Jahnigen, former Head of the Division of Geriatric Medicine at UCD and former President of the American Geriatrics Society.

The first annual
Dennis W. Jahnigen Memorial
Award was presented at the
1999 AGS/AFAR
Annual Scientific Meeting.

The award will be given annually to an AGS member who has made significant contributions to the field of geriatrics through outstanding teaching and mentorship, the development of innovative educational programs, and/or the advancement of policy issues on geriatric education. This year, the award was presented to John R. Burton, M.D., Director of the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Several faculty members affiliated with the Hartford/Jahnigen COE presented papers and posters at this year's AGS/AFAR meeting, including Assistant Professor Faculty Development Award recipients Marie Johnson, M.D., and Eric Coleman, M.D. Dr. Coleman's paper on reducing emergency visits in Medicare managed care was one of three selected for presentation at the Plenary Paper Session. In addition, Dr. Johnson's poster on characteristics and outcomes of medical and surgical patients receiving post-acute rehabilitation received a Presidential Poster Session Award. The 2000 AGS/AFAR Annual Meeting will be held May 17-21, 2000 in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology was established in 1966 as a joint division of the Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology.

Five core faculty members are based in the Division: Curt R. Freed, M.D., Division Head; Joseph Gal, Ph.D.; John G. Gerber, M.D.; Edward Clarkson, Ph.D.; and Michael Zawada, Ph.D. Overall, these five Clinical Pharmacology faculty members have been awarded about $2 million per year in external support to fund various projects.

Dr. Freed is primarily interested in neurotransplantation for Parkinson's disease in humans and experimental animals, and in gene therapy. He is currently Director of the National Parkinson Foundation Center of Excellence, a multidisciplinary Center that combines basic research and clinical activity.

Dr. Freed is
Primarily interested in
Neurotransplantation for
Parkinson's disease and
gene therapy.

Other research areas related to aging have included Dr. Gerber's focus on changes in drug metabolism in elderly persons and Dr. Hollister's interest in cardiovascular pharmacology.

Research in Dr. Freed's laboratory has focused on the dynamic use of neurotransmitters during movement. His research team has used the technique of in vivo dialysis to study the release of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin in awake, behaving animals. With