In memoriam: George Shannon, 84, became gerontology educator after 30-year acting career
“People always ask me if it’s too late to go back to school and I always say no,” he said during an interview for USC News in 2018.
Uncovering the secrets of the ‘SuperAgers’
A new effort from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology aims to glean life lessons from people who are redefining what old age looks like.
2 studies illustrate how injuries age the brain
USC research led by Andrei Irimia shows how traumatic injuries increase the brain’s “biological age” and highlights the need for early monitoring.
Balancing support and independence for older adults
Gerontology alumna Adria Navarro connects older adults with community resources while promoting their self-determination.
USC Family Caregiver Support Center receives $8.5 million grant, innovation award
The center’s program for Persian/Farsi-speaking caregivers is recognized by the Los Angeles Alliance for Community Health and Aging.
Advance directives associated with lower out-of-pocket hospital costs
Patients with advance directives more likely to choose comfort over aggressive care at end of life, according to new USC study.
Master’s student puts off retirement for a second career in gerontology
Jennifer Nykyforchyn isn’t ready to retire. She’s using her tech experience and USC training to fashion a second career in gerontology, where age is an asset.
Brain changes following traumatic brain injury share similarities with Alzheimer’s disease
Using MRIs and machine learning, USC researchers mapped comparable degenerative changes in both gray and white matter of the brain.
Beyond genes and environment, random variations play important role in longevity
The USC-UCLA paper introducing a new conceptual model notes that only about 10 to 35% of longevity can be traced to genes inherited from our parents.
Phoebe S. Liebig, 87, celebrated gerontology educator and policy expert on aging
Along with her work at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, Liebig spent two years as a senior economics policy analyst for the AARP Public Policy Institute.
New findings help explain how COVID-19 overpowers the immune system
USC research offers possible explanations as to why older adults and people with metabolic dysfunction have more severe responses to the coronavirus than other individuals.
What history tells us about the long-term effects of a pandemic
USC research showed that people born during or just after the 1918 flu pandemic faced increased heart disease risk more than 60 years later. The legacy of COVID-19 could be worse.
Seniors susceptible to scams show brain differences and are frailer
Two studies from the Keck School of Medicine of USC shed new light on what makes certain older people more at risk of being defrauded.
Studying tiny worms could unlock new insights into human life
Two USC studies on diet and sperm quality in C. elegans illustrate how changes in the worm species could lay the groundwork for further research on human lifespan and reproduction.
How social factors impact our genes — and our health
A $2.9 million grant to Eileen Crimmins of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology supports multination research on how life circumstances influence gene expression and affect health.
Professor keeps his students on their toes, especially when they’re learning at home
At age 64, John “Old Doc” Walsh of the USC Leonard Davis School recognizes the need to stay limber — especially in the middle of a two-hour online class.
What it’s like to intern — and live — in a retirement community during COVID-19
Nelson Rubio Argueta’s internship couldn’t go virtual during the pandemic; he was living and working in Kingsley Manor Retirement Community in L.A. The gerontology student discusses his unique experience.
When COVID-19 arrived, this USC alum moved to New York City to help
After years spent promoting public health measures around the globe, it’s no surprise that Tyler Evans is now leading isolation and quarantine coordination efforts in the Big Apple.
How can cities adapt to the needs of their aging populations?
USC’s experts in aging envision how a deluge of older adults in urban areas might reshape transportation, home design and human connection.
USC teachers and students discover ways to make online education stand out
An associate professor — and online instruction expert — at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology explains how he’s adapting to virtual classrooms as the new normal.
Dementia-related deaths in the U.S. may be higher than reported
Death certificate data appear to underestimate the true mortality burden of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive impairment, according to a USC-led study.
USC gerontology school and institute for aging research win prestigious grant
The $4.6 million award from the National Institute on Aging will establish the USC-Buck Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging.
Tiny protein has a big impact on health and longevity
A USC-led study has found that having greater amounts of the peptide humanin is closely correlated with longer lives and better health in both animals and humans.
By predicting new COVID-19 strains, USC scientists direct the search for a vaccine
A global, multischool collaboration that includes the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology aims to anticipate new coronavirus strains by examining how its genes mutate.