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 University of Southern California as the 2014 recipient of the Nathan Shock New Investigator Award.
This 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 from November 5 to 9 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. Visit http://www.geron.org/annualmeeting for further details.
At the University of Southern California, 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.
Curran's work has received national attention from the Ellison Medical Foundation, the American Federation for Aging Research, the Glenn Foundation on Aging Research, as well as a Mellon Mentoring Award for his work with students at the University of Southern California.
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is the nation's oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. The principal mission of the Society — and its 5,500+ members — is to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers, and the general public. GSA's structure also includes a policy institute, the National Academy on an Aging Society, and an educational branch, the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education.