Photo of George A. Kuchel, M.D. C.M., FRCP, AGSF

George A. Kuchel, M.D. C.M., FRCP, AGSF

Professor of Medicine, Travelers Chair in Geriatrics and Gerontology
Director, UConn Center on Aging, University of Connecticut
Chief, Geriatrics, UConn Health
Director, UConn Pepper Center (P30AG067988)
Director, Geroscience Education and Training Network (R25AG073119)
Director, KAPP-Sen Tissue Mapping Center (U54AG075941)
NPI Number:
1821094822
Academic Office Location:
UConn Center on Aging
UConn Health
263 Farmington Avenue
Farmington, CT 06030-5215
Phone: 860-679-3956
860-679-6796
Fax: 860-679-1307
Email: kuchel@uchc.edu
Website(s):

George Kuchel - Faculty Web Page

UConn Center on Aging

UConn Center on Aging Research

UConn Pepper Center

NIA Translational Geroscience Network

NIH Common Fund SenNet Program

NIH KAPP-Sen Tissue Mapping Center

NIA Geroscience Education and Training Network

Genetics & Developmental Biology Graduate Program

Education
DegreeInstitutionMajor
OtherVanier CollegeHealth Sciences
OtherMcGill Medical SchoolMedicine

Post-Graduate Training
TrainingInstitutionSpecialty
InternshipMontreal General HospitalInternal Medicine
ResidencyMontreal General HospitalInternal Medicine
PostdoctoralHarvard Medical SchoolKaiser, Faculty Development Program in General Internal Medicine
FellowshipHarvard Medical School, Division on Aging and Beth Israel HospitalGeriatrics and Gerontology
PostdoctoralHarvard Medical SchoolBiological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology
PostdoctoralMount Sinai Medical CenterNeurobiology and Gerontology

Awards
Name of Award/HonorAwarding Organization
Elected MemberAcademy for Health and Lifespan Research
Carole and Ray Neag Medal of HonorUniversity of Connecticut
FellowGerontological Society of America
Brookdale Senior FellowBrookdale Foundation, New York, NY
Brookdale Senior Fellow, New York Brookdale Foundation
FellowAmerican Geriatrics Society
John A. Hartford Leadership AwardJohn A. Hartford Foundation, New York
Travelers Chair in Geriatrics and GerontologyUniversity of Connecticut
Montreal General Hospital 175th Anniversary AwardMontreal General Hospital, McGill University
Chercheur-Boursier AwardFonds de la Recherche en Santé du Québec
FellowshipMedical Research Council of Canada
Brookdale National FellowBrookdale Foundation
Royal Canadian Legion Fellowship in Geriatric MedicineRoyal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
McGill - Mona Bronfman Scheckman Prize in PsychiatryMcGill University
McGill University ScholarMcGill University

Individualized Approaches to Geroscience-Guided Interventions for the Promotion of Healthy and Independent Aging

Geriatric Assessment

R25AG073119 NIA/NIH. Kuchel (contact MPI)  Espinoza, Justice, Newman, Pignolo (MPIs) 07/2021-06/2024


NIA Geroscience Education and Training (GET) Network           


Geroscience-guided therapies seeking to alleviate chronic conditions of aging as a group by targeting basic aging processes are now entering clinical trials. The discovery, validation and translation into routine clinical care of such transformational therapies will require a robust and diverse geroscience workforce and training pipeline. We are proposing the creation of a network model designed to integrate expertise, knowledge, and resources across multiple institutions and organizations in addressing the following Aims. Aim 1: Develop shared geroscience curricula and educational materials initially targeting medical, PhD students and geriatric medicine fellows. Aim 2: Develop a Certificate in Geroscience Research Program to train the next generation of geroscience researchers by offering multidisciplinary training in geroscience. Aim 3: Ensure optimal dissemination of the educational materials developed through this award.

Name & DescriptionCategoryRoleTypeScopeStart YearEnd Year
Member, Delirium Expert Task Force, Global Council on Brain Health, AARPAdvisory CommitteeAdvisory BoardExternalInternational20192019
Member, Advisory Board, resTORbio, Cambridge, MAAdvisory CommitteeAdvisory BoardInternational20192020
NIA Access Panel of the Caenorhabditis Intervention Testing Program (CITP)Advisory CommitteeMemberExternalNational2019
Board of Directors, Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs (ADGAP)Professional/Scientific OrganizationMemberExternalNational2019
Deputy Editor, Journal of the American Geriatrics SocietyEditorial BoardDeputy EditorExternalInternational2016
NIA Clinical Trials Advisory Panel (CTAP)Advisory CommitteeMemberExternalNational2016
NIA Clinical Trials Advisory Panel (CTAP)Advisory CommitteeMemberExternalNational2016
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS)Editorial BoardDeputy EditorExternalInternational2016
Advisor, Doctoral Program in Biomedical Science (Developmental Biology), U. of ConnecticutOtherExternalUniversity2002

RESEARCH INTERESTS:



  1. Multidisciplinary approaches to the study of aging emphasizing inter-individual variability and resilience mechanisms pertaining to mobility, voiding, cognition and host defense

  2. Design and validation of geroscience-guided interventions into aging and common chronic diseases of aging

  3. Personalized and mechanism-guided approaches to the diagnosis and management of common geriatric syndromes – “Precision Geroscience”

CURRENT RESEARCH FUNDING:


NIH/NIA P30 AG067988  Kuchel and Fortinsky (MPIs) 8/15/2021-06/30/2026. UConn Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center. The Claude D Pepper Older Americans Independence Center at UConn (UConn OAIC) seeks to develop clinical strategies for enhancing function and independence in older adults that are more precise, personalized, and effective accomplished through a multidisciplinary emphasis on Precision Gerontology. Role: MPI (Contact)


NIAID/NIH U01 AI165452 A deep longitudinal analysis of next generation influenza vaccines in older adults. MPIs: Duygu Ucar (Jackson Lab), Adolfo Garcia-Sastre (Mount Sinai), George Kuchel (UConn). 1/1/2022 – 2/28/2027. - Multiple PI


NIH/NIA R33 AG061456 Kirkland, Kritchevsky, Kuchel, Tchkonia (MPIs) 2/01/2019-11/30/2023. Translational Geroscience Network. The role of the NIA Translational Geroscience Network (TGN) is to overcome barriers to the translation of new geroscience-guided therapies from bench research to human studies and ultimately clinical care. Role: Multiple PI (MPI). See link for more information on the TGN network (https://www.gerosciencenetwork.org/).


NIH/NIA U54AG075941. Kuchel, Garovic, Musi, Robson (MPIs). 9/30/21-8/31/22. The KAPP-Sen Tissue Mapping Center Collaborative. As part of the Cellular Senescence Network: Tissue Mapping Centers initiative (RFA-RM-21-008), KAPP-Sen brings together skills, resources, and perspectives needed to address SenNet goals across 6 sites (UConn Health, Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Brigham and Womens Hospital, Joslin Clinic, Mayo Clinic and University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio) in the framework of the healthy human Kidney, Adipose tissues, Pancreas, and Placenta.  Role: MPI (Contact) and Leader Administrative Core

R25AG073119 NIA/NIH. Kuchel (contact MPI UConn)  Espinoza (UT San Antonio), Justice (Wake Forest), Newman (UCSF/Buck Institute), Pignolo (Mayo) -MPIs; 07/2021-06/2026. NIA Geroscience Education and Training (GET) Network.  Geroscience-guided therapies seeking to alleviate chronic conditions of aging as a group by targeting basic aging processes are now entering clinical trials. The discovery, validation and translation into routine clinical care of such transformational therapies will require a robust and diverse geroscience workforce and training pipeline. We are proposing the creation of a network model designed to integrate expertise, knowledge, and resources across multiple institutions and organizations in addressing the following Aims. Aim 1: Develop shared geroscience curricula and educational materials initially targeting medical, PhD students and geriatric medicine fellows. Aim 2: Develop a Certificate in Geroscience Research Program to train the next generation of geroscience researchers by offering multidisciplinary training in geroscience. Aim 3: Ensure optimal dissemination of the educational materials developed through this award.


NIH/NIA R01 AG051647  Binder (PI, Washington U) 9/15/2017-05/31/2022. Combining Testosterone Therapy and Exercise to Improve Function Post Hip Fracture. Dr. Richard Fortinsky and Dr. Kuchel (site Co-PIs) are site leaders of a multicenter randomized clinical trial of testosterone therapy and exercise training on functional capacity in frail older women following hip fracture. Role: Co-Investigator


NIH/NIAID R01 AI142086 Banchereau(PI; Jackson Lab)02/14/2020-01/31/2024. High-Resolution Single Cell Profiling of Vaccine Responsiveness in the Elderly. Cell-mediated vaccine protection will be studied in samples from earlier flu vaccine study. Role: Co-Investigator


IHS-1502-27171 (PCORI)  Fortinsky (PI) 05/01/2016-10/31/2023. 3D Team Care for Cognitively Vulnerable Older Adults. Achieving better outcomes for cognitively vulnerable community-dwelling older adults living with dementia, depression, and/or delirium via home-based clinical care teams guided by APRNs with geriatrics expertise. Role: Co-Investigator


NIH/NIA R01 AG058814  Kuchel and Levine (MPIs) 05/15/2019-01/31/2024. Detrusor Underactivity as an HCN-mediated Failure of Resilience in Aging. The main goal of this project is to investigate the role of a “pacemaker” ion channel in the age evolution of a control mechanism critical to neural regulation of bladder volume sensitivity. Role: Contact MPI


NIH/NIA R21 AG060018-02S1 Kuo (PI) 09/01/2020-06/30/2021.Understanding the Role of ApoE2 in Longevity and Age-Related Diseases and Conditions Using 500,000 UK Biobank Participants-Administrative Supplement. We hypothesize that patients with ApoE e3e4 or e4e4 genotypes are more likely than e3e3 to experience delirium during COVID-19 related hospitalizations and be diagnosed with cognitive impairment and dementia. Role: Co-Investigator


NIH/NIGMS R35 GM124922 Ucar (PI; Jackson Lab) 08/01/2017-07/31/2022. Identification and Interpretation of Chromatin Changes Associated with the Aging of Human Immune Cells. The goal of these studies is to define chromatin changes associated with aging in human immune cells. Role: Co-Investigator


NIH/NIA UH3AG056925-S1  Colon-Emeric, Whitson (PIs; Duke) 09/30/2019-08/31/2021. Physical Resiliencies: Indicators and Mechanisms in the Elderly Collaborative-Administrative Supplement. Immunogenomic signatures of resilience in baseline samples of subjects with PCR-proven flu infection. Role: Consortium Co-Investigator


NIH/NIA UH3AG056925-03 Colon-Emeric, Whitson (PIs; Duke)10/01/2019-09/30/2022. Physical Resiliencies: Indicators and Mechanisms in the Elderly Collaborative Role: Consultant


NIH/NINR R21 NR018963 Kuo (PI) 09/02/2020-07/31/2022. Identifying Potentially Modifiable Exposures to Improve Telomere Health and Disease Outcomes. We will use UK Biobank data to delineate modifiable exposures that directly influence or moderate telomere length, and how these influence health and risk of disease. Role: Co-Investigator


NIH/NIA R01 AG072301 Kirkland (PI; Mayo) 09/15/2020-05/31/2023. COVID-FIS: A phase 2 placebo-controlled pilot study in covid-19 of fisetin to alleviate dysfunction and excessive inflammatory response in older adults in nursing homes. RCT to test if senolytic drug fisetin prevents nursing home residents with COVID-19 from adverse outcomes Role: Co-Investigator/Site PI UConn 


NIH/NIA R56 AG060746 Oh, Robison, Kuchel (MPIs) 9/01/2019-08/31/2021. Microbiome Plasticity and Pathogenicity in Older Adults: Baselines and Transitions from Skilled Nursing Care. We will examine differences in microbiomes between older adults residing in different long-term care facilities and follow their return to the community, assessing baseline differences and microbiome “plasticity” on transition. Role: Multiple PI

Accepting Lab Rotation Students: Summer 2022, Fall 2022, and Spring 2023


Research Rotation Projects


Depending on trainee background and career interests they may include experiences involving basic bench science, human subject research or in selected cases  training in the translational T1 (bench to bedside) sciences.

Journal Articles

Book Chapters

  • Chapter 2. Physiological and Clinical Considerations of Geriatric Patient Care
    Jaeger, J. and Kuchel, G. The American Psychiatric Association Publishing Textbook of Geriatric Psychiatry, Sixth Edition 2023 Jan;
  • Applied Clinical Geroscience. Ch. 40.
    Espinoza SE, Justice JN, Newman JC, Pignolo RJ, Kuchel G.A. Hazzard's Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology. 2022 Dec;pages 593-604
  • Systems Physiology of Aging and Selected Disorders of Homeostasis. Ch.39.
    Kuchel, George. Hazzard's Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology. 2022 Dec;pages 575-591.
  • Aging of the Urinary Tract
    Smith PP, Kuchel G Brocklehurst's Textbook of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology 2010 Jan;
  • Age-related changes that impact drug metabolism.
    Kuchel, George National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2021. Drug Research and Development for Adults Across the Older Age Span: Proceedings of a Workshop.
  • Applied Geroscience. Chapter 40
    Espinoza S., Justice J. Newman J. and Kuchel G.A.. Hazzard’s Principles of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology. 8th Edition.
  • Influenza Vaccination: Accelerating the process for new vaccine development in older adults
    McElhaney J.E., Andrew M.K., Haynes L., Kuchel G.A., McNeill S.A. and Pawelec G. Vaccines for the older population
  • Systems Physiology of Aging and Selected Disorders of Homeostasis. Chapter 39
    Kuchel,George A. Hazzard’s Principles of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology. 8th edition.

Conference Papers

  • Mice with a null mutation for macrophage migration inhibitory factor have lower stage tumors in a model of bladder cancer. Taylor won New Investigator Award.
    Taylor JA, Kuchel GA, Hegde H, Voznesensky OS, Claffey K, Tsmikas J, Bucala R and Pilbeam C. 2006 Jan;
  • Locomotion in vitamin D receptor gene knockout mice.
    DuBose M, Sasso D, Kenny A, Pilbeam C, Demay M and Kuchel GA. 2005 Jan;
  • Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) inhibits compensatory smooth muscle growth in bladder outlet obstruction.
    Taylor JA, Zhu Q, Sasso D, Pilbeam C, Leng L, Bucala R and Kuchel GA. 2005 Jan;

Editorials

Letters

Reviews

Short Surveys

Title or AbstractTypeSponsor/EventDate/YearLocation
The Path from Heterogeneity of Aging and Successful Aging to Precision Gerontology and Geroscience.Lecture2023Online
The Science of Aging: Lessons for HIV at the Interface of Commonality and Heterogeneity.2023
Aging of the Immune System: A Translational Geroscience Perspective.LectureAlbert Einstein School of Medicine Biology of Aging Course.2023New York, NY
UConn Pepper Center: Early Insights into Precision Gerontology and Geroscience.LectureDuke School of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics and Aging Center.2023Durham, NC
UConn Pepper Center: Early Insights into Precision Gerontology and Geroscience.LectureSealey Center on Aging.2023U Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX.
Frail Patients in Primary Care: I Know It When I See It, but Then What?LectureMedical Grand Rounds. St. John's Episcopal Hospital2023Far Rockaway, NY
The Science of Aging: Lessons for HIV.Plenary LectureConference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI).2023Seattle, WA.
UConn Pepper Center: Early Insights into Precision Gerontology and Geroscience.LectureNorthwestern School of Medicine.2023Chicago, IL
Perspectives on Cancer and Aging: The Arti Hurria Memorial Webinar Series. Improving Patient-Centered Outcomes for Older Cancer Patients via Precision Gerontology and Geroscience.LectureNational Cancer Institute2023Bethesda, MD
Training Translational Geroscientists and Geroscience-Savvy Clinicians.LectureNational Institutes of Health.2023Natcher Auditorium, Bethesda, MD.
Catalyzing Interdisciplinary Research: You have assembled your dream team, done everything right and yet the first meeting did not go well.LectureOAIC Pepper National Coordinating Center.2023Arlington, VA.
AGS 2023 Update on Vaccination Strategies for Older Adults: Matching the approach to the Individual and the Care Setting.LecturePresidential Session, Annual Meeting of the American Geriatrics Society.2023Long Beach, CA.
The Path from Heterogeneity of Aging and Successful Aging to Precision Gerontology and Geroscience.Plenary LectureNational Institute on Aging.2023Bethesda, MD.
Precision Gerontology: Making Precision Medicine Relevant to the Needs of Geriatric Patients. Symposium on Precision Medicine through the Lens of an Older Adult.LectureAmerican Geriatrics Society2022Orlando, FL
Designing Your Next Geroscience-Guided Trial: From Drug Discovery to Repurposing and Modeling. Symposium on Clinical Trials in Geroscience.LectureAmerican Aging Association 50th Annual Meeting2022San Antonio, TX.
Frail Patients in Primary Care: I Know It When I See It, but Then What?LectureSUNY Downstate SChool of Medicine2022New York, NY
Role of Frailty and Resilience in Improving Outcomes in Older Patients via Precision GerontologyLectureBaylor School of Medicine2022Houston, TX
Get to Know Your Pepper Centers – UConn.TalkNIA OAIC (Pepper) National Coordinating Center.2022Washington, D.C.
Biology of Frailty.TalkNIA OAIC (Pepper) National Coordinating Center.2022Washington, D.C.
Senolytics in Aging Research: Implications for HIV Research and Clinical Care.Lecture2022 Hybrid Annual ACTG Network Meeting.2022Washington, D.C.
Geroscience-Inspired Approaches to Understanding and Intervening in Human Frailty.LectureInvited Speaker. Trans-NIH Geroscience Interest Group (GSIG) Seminar.2022Bethesda, MD
ACP Meet the Professor. Frail Patients in Primary Care: I Know It When I See It, but Then What?Plenary LectureAmerican College of Physicians.2022Chicago, IL
UConn Pepper Center: Early Insights into Precision Gerontology and Geroscience.LectureUniversity of Pittsburgh Pepper Center and Division of Geriatric Medicine.2022Pittsburgh, PA
Moving from Frailty and Resilience to Precision Gerontology and Geroscience.LectureNIA/AFAR ClinSTAR Frailty SIG.2022New York, NY
Update on the Geroscience Education and Training Network.TalkGeroscience SIG, Gerontological Society of America Annual Meeting.2022Indianapolis, IN.
Update in Geroscience for Nonbiologists.OtherGerontological Society of America Annual Meeting.2022Indianapolis, IN.
COVID-19: A View from Geriatric Medicine and GeroscienceLectureRush University School of Medicine2021Chicago, IL
A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase 2a Study of RTB101 as COVID-19 Post-Exposure Prophylaxis in Adults Age =65 YearsLectureNIA 2021 OAIC (Pepper Center ) ANNUAL MEETING2021
Extending Healthspan and Human Longevity Targeting Immunity: What is it about Immune Aging that Makes Older Adults So Vulnerable to COVID-19?LectureThe New York Academy of Sciences2021
COVID Vaccine Effectivity in Aging Population and Immune protection.LectureInternational Workshop on HIV and Aging 2021.Virtual Conference.2021
Bridging the Translational Cancer and Aging Research Divide. New Interdisciplinary Research on Cancer and AgingLectureNational Cancer Institute, NIH2021Bethesda, MD
Integrative Immunology of Aging: Reconciling Reductionist and Systems-Based Perspectives.Lecture. University of Texas San Antonio, TX.2021
The “5Ws” of Geroscience-Guided Trials and HIV Care: Why, Who, When, What and Where.LectureUniversity of Miami2021University of Miami Center for AIDS Research
Making sense of the heterogeneity of clinical presentations and outcomes in older adults exposed to SARS CoV-2.LectureNIA & NIAID Conference on Immunity, Aging, and COVID-19.2021Bethesda, MD
Vulnerability of Older Adults to COVID-19: Emerging role for biological hallmarks of aging and geroscience-guided therapiesPlenary LectureAmerican College of Cardiology Annual Meeting2020Virtual Meeting
Age-related changes that impact drug metabolism.LectureThe National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine.2020Washington, DC
Nekolik težce vydelaných lekcí z USA, všudyprítomná role ageismu a vznik terapií vedených geroscienceLectureInstitute for Social Policy and Research, Prague, Czech Republic.2020Prague, Czech Republic
Importance of Mitochondrial Heath in the Aging Bladder: A Translational Perspective.Plenary Lecture2019 SUFU Annual Meeting2019Miami, FL
Immune Responses to Vaccination on Aging: Translational Insights into Immune Resilience.Talk2019 Barshop Symposium on Aging2019University of Texas San Antonio, Bandera, TX
Systems Biology of Aging. Data Science Meets Geroscience. Meeting Co-Organizer with D Ucar and J Banchereau. Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT. 9/4-5/2019.LectureNIA R13/Jackson Lab for Genomic Medicine2019Farmington CT
Immune Responses to Vaccination in Older Adults: Translational Insights into Physical Resilience, Frailty and Precision Gerontology.LectureFAU Biomedical Research Institute Seminar series.2019Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
Precision Gerontology: Translational Insights into the Biological Basis of Physical Resilience.TalkRobert and Arlene Kogod Aging Center, Mayo Clinic2018Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Voiding Disorders and Incontinence in Frail Older Adults: A clinical update and some novel pathophysiological insights.TalkDepartment of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center2018New York, NY
Biomarkers for geroscience-guided clinical trialsTalkNIA P30 Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center2018Arlington, VA
Role of Biomarkers in Aging and VitalityTalkWHO Clinical Consortium on Healthy Aging meeting on Vitality2018New York, NY
ScRNAseq of PBMCs for discovery of biomarkers of physical resilience to influenza infection in older adults.TalkNational Institute on Aging Resiliencies Grantees’ Meeting2018Bethesda, MD
Biomarkers for early identification of “response to treatment” in Geroscience-guided clinical trials: Insights from TAME.Talk9th Annual Alliance for Healthy Aging Research, Mayo Clinic2018Rochester, MN
New Approaches to the Study of Geriatric Syndromes: Moving from Beliefs, Opinions and Associations to Mechanisms.TalkNIA Workshop on the Epidemiology of Aging. NIA Intramural Program2018Baltimore, MD
Immune Responses to Vaccination in Aging: Insights into Frailty and Physical Resilience.Plenary Lecture31st Annual Meeting of the Canadian Society for Immunology2018London, Ont. Canada