Few years ago Roy G. Smith, Ph.D., returned to Baylor
as the Director of the Huffington Center on Aging. From
1987-1998, Dr. Smith served as Senior Director and then
as Vice President for Basic Research at Merck Research
Laboratories, Merck & Co., where he was primarily
involved in identifying new drug targets for metabolic
diseases and drugs that would improve the quality of life
in the elderly. Prior to joining Merck, Dr. Smith was
a professor at BCM where, in addition to conducting basic
research, he directed the Endocrine Subspecialty Fellowship
Program for the OB/GYN Department and the AUA Fellowship
Program in Urology. Since returning to Baylor, Dr. Smith
has continued to work on the function of the orphan growth
hormone secretagogue receptor that was cloned in his laboratory
at Merck. This research is focused on the prevention of
frailty in the elderly and inhibiting age-related changes
in cognitive functions. His research interests include
the molecular mechanisms relating to aging, age-related
neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and atherosclerosis.
New areas of research direction for the Center include
Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and tumor suppressor
genes. These past years have been eventful ones, with
much progress made in basic research, clinical activities,
and numerous successes in education.
The Huffington Center on Aging has one of the most
advanced aging research programs in the country. Especially
prominent are our programs in cell and molecular biology
of aging, cardiovascular diseases, ethics and outcomes
research. Research geriatricians and gerontologists
are trained through a NIA-funded aging research training
grant and an approved geriatrics fellowship program
that offers two additional years of research training
for those interested in academic research careers. Research
enrichment, including opportunities to visit laboratories
in this country and abroad, is afforded by the generosity
of several foundations.
The Huffington Center is extensively involved in undergraduate
and graduate education. Education in aging and aging-related
topics extends through college, medical school, residency
training and post-graduate training for physicians and
allied health professionals. We also have an extensive
program of education for the lay public. The geriatric
fellowship training program is based on the great variety
and depth of clinical training sites which reflect the
multi-racial, multi-ethnic composition of Houston. Geriatric
fellows have the opportunity to train in managed care
organizations and community institutional and non-institutional
long term care and residential facilities.
The center and its faculty have received numerous awards
and accolades. The Huffington Center on Aging is a John
A. Hartford Foundation, Inc. of New York designated
Center of Excellence in Geriatrics. And since 1985 we
have served as the headquarters of the Texas Consortium
of Geriatrics Education Centers, one of 46 such federally
funded GECs in the country.
We have recently been further honored by our founding
benefactors, Ambassador and Mrs. Roy M. Huffington,
who have established the Phyllis Gough Huffington Bicentennial
endowment Fund with another $2,000,000 gift. And Mr.
and Mrs. George Mitchell have pledged $1,000,000 for
research on Alzheimer's disease to be conducted by Robert
J. Luchi, MD, the founding director of the HCOA.
We are proud of our many accomplishments at the center.
These pages will provide you with an overview of the
research efforts, educational initiatives, and training
programs of the center as well as affiliated clinical
services and training activities administered by the
center. Thank you very much for your interest in Baylor
College of Medicine and the Huffington Center on Aging.
Huffington Center on Aging
Baylor College of Medicine
One Baylor Plaza, M320
Houston, Texas 77030
713/798-5804
713/798-6688 (fax)
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