Geriatrics Chief Named American Geriatrics Society Fellow

The honor recognizes Troen’s commitment to quality care for older adults as well as his significant contributions to progress in the field and to the 6,000-member society.

An expert in geriatrics and gerontology with a background in molecular biology and biochemistry, Troen specializes in researching the biology of aging, frailty, osteoporosis and vitamin D.

He is a co-investigator on the new, state-funded SUNY Network Aging Partnership involving the State University of New York’s four medical universities. The initiative supports collaborative research related to frailty and lifespan enhancement and includes funds for recruiting and mentoring research trainees.

Troen also is principal investigator on studies assessing resveratrol and resveratrol mimetics on aging bone as well as the physical performance of an animal model with vitamin D insufficiency. Both studies are funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Troen has an appointment with the VA Western New York Healthcare System.

As head of a division involving 19 diverse faculty-clinicians and researchers, Troen oversees geriatric and palliative medicine fellowships as well as training for medical students and residents focused on geriatrics, palliative care and end-of-life care and communication.

With implications for multiple disciplines, Troen’s research has been published in journals covering nutrition, geriatrics, genetics, endocrinology, psychiatry, alternative medicine and biochemistry. 

He co-edited the book “The Geripause: Medical Management During the Late Menopause,” and authored chapters in textbooks such as “Geriatric Nutrition: The Health Professional’s Handbook,” “Principles and Practice of Geriatric Surgery,” “Case-Based Geriatrics: A Global Approach” and “Hazzard’s Principles of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology.”

Troen’s work has been recognized with the Bristol Myers Award for excellence in oncology research.

In addition, Troen won the AGS’s Best Paper Award for his research on organ-specific diseases and the biology of aging. Through numerous presentations at national AGS meetings, he has shared information about bone biology and its effect on osteoporosis treatment, advances in osteoporosis therapy for the frail elderly and the vitamin D insufficiency epidemic.

A member of AGS for more than 20 years, Troen has served on the society’s program committee and also co-chaired and chaired the committee for its annual meetings in 2009 and 2010, respectively.

Troen will be officially recognized as an AGS Fellow next May during the society’s 2015 annual scientific meeting in National Harbor, Md.