Director, HCOA, and Professor, Departments of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Medicine. Dr. Smith oversees all Center activities and sits on the Academic Council governing Baylor's educational programs. Dr. Smith also directs his own laboratory conducting research in the function of the orphan growth hormone secretagogue receptor. 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.

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Dr. Antebi´s research focuses on using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model genetic system to understand development and aging. His particular focus is on how endocrine systems, such as nuclear hormone receptor and insulin/IGF signaling, regulate life stages and life span. By studying evolutionarily conserved molecular pathways in a simple model, he hopes to elucidate how similar endocrine systems influence human longevity.

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Dr. Braun completed her geriatrics fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine and is a physician investigator at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. Her current research is supported by a VA Research Career Development Award and focuses on improving the decision-making process for end-of-life care and the quality of end-of-life care, particularly in dementia patients. Her mentors are Laurence McCullough, PhD from the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, and Rebecca Beyth, MD, MSc. Dr. Braun's research is also supported by a VA-Merit Review (IIR 02-224-1 A culturally sensitive values-guided aid for end-of-life decision-making).

Gretchen Darlington's laboratory carries out basic research studies that address the mechanisms by which differentiated cells of the liver proliferate. Liver cells are capable of regenerating in young animals, but this capacity is greatly reduced in older individuals. Dr. Darlington also directs a NIA sponsored training grant that educates predoctoral and postdoctoral students in methods of scientific investigation in the field of aging.

Dr. Davis studies the molecular and genetic mechanisms that underlie learning and memory. The decline in memory that is often associated with aging is a problem of paramount importance. Dr. Davis hopes that his studies to discover the molecules involved in learning and memory will ultimately help understand the relationship between cognitive ability and aging.

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Dr. Garcia sees patients at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, teaches housestaff and oversees the Fellows. Her special areas of interest are wound care and geriatrics education.

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Ms. Gibson is the assistant to Dr. Roy Smith, Director

Ms. Gill is responsible for finding online educational programs and materials in the areas of geriatrics and gerontology for medical professionals and students and recruiting them into The TCGEC's Professional Development Program.

Transcriptional Regulatory Network in Central Nervous System Development.
Our long-term research goal is to decode the combinatorial transcriptional regulatory network responsible for generating distinct classes of neurons that perform sensory and motor functions in the developing central nervous system (CNS).

Dr. Luchi serves as the Principal Investigator on numerous grants and oversees the clinical training of the Center. Dr. Luchi is actively involved in the clinical practice of GMA. He sees private patients at Baylor College of Medicine's GMA and treats in-patients at The Methodist Hospital, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Diagnostic Hospital and St. Dominic Nursing Home. Dr. Luchi is the past and founding director of the Huffington Center on Aging, the Section of Geriatrics, and the John A. Hartford Foundation Center of Excellence in Geriatrics.

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Dr. McCullough is a philosopher specializing in biomedical ethics. He is active in clinical teaching and consultation for medical students and residents at HVAMC and Texas Children's Hospital and engages in clinically based and theoretical scholarship on ethical issues across the lifespan. He leads the HCOA Ethics Research Group, which has focused on ethical and conceptual dimensions of long-term care decisions by elders and family members. The group is currently pilot testing an intervention to enhance the autonomy of elders in long-term care decisions and is planning a clinical trial of this intervention.

Tonta Marchand assists faculty and administrators in a variety of areas instrumental to their research and teaching.

Benign and malignant pigmentary disorders in the skin increase with aging. Dr. Medrano's laboratory is focused in elucidating mechanisms involved in melanocyte senescence and malignant transformation. To study this, she is analyzing cell cycle regulatory genes and transcription factors which may be involved in the development of lesions such as lentigo senilis (aging spots), melanocytic nevi and malignant melanomas. Dr. Medrano also directs the NIA-funded Biology of Aging Training Program. To apply to this program, click here: http://www.hcoa.org/newsite/Grant.asp.

Ms. Meyer is Administrative Coordinator for HCOA research lab professors; coordinator for weekly Biology of Aging Seminars, journal clubs, departmental meetings; she provides administrative support to the HCOA Associate Director of Research.

In November 2007, Maria Jose Pesantez assumed the position of Financial and Grants Analyst to assist HCOA faculty with their grant applications and accounts.

From May 2005-2007, she served as the Development Coordinator for the Huffington Center on Aging.   In her former position she ws responsible for such development activities of the center as the Women's Health Summit and HCOA Public Forums.  She also coordinated the production of the HCOA Newsletter and other printed development materials. She came to HCOA as an intern and, upon graduation from college, joined the staff.  She received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree with concentrations in Finance and Management from the University of Houston in May 2006. Ms. Pesantez was born and reared in Quito, Ecuador, coming to Houston in 2000 to complete her undergraduate studies.  She lives with husband Luis Guillermo and their daughter, Micaela.

Dr. Pereira investigates the genetic and developmental regulation of the hearing and balance systems, which include the regulation of the development of the inner ear organ and the neuronal circuitry necessary to establish the complexities of hearing and balance. One area of focus is the analysis of a mouse mutant defective in the gene coding for the orphan nuclear receptor COUP-TFI. COUP-TFI mutants are profoundly deaf with a complete absence of auditory brainstem responses, which represent the relay of electrical stimuli from the inner ear through the brainstem. Indeed, COUP-TFI mutants have a foreshortened cochlear duct reducing the extent of frequency hearing and malformed vestibular chambers and lack of otoconia in the sacculus, which are critical for detecting vertical acceleration and result in balance deficits in early adulthood. Using gene chips and biochemical analyses they are interested in identifying and understanding the molecular signaling pathways regulated by genes such as COUP-TFI to provide insight into understanding human disorders of auditory and vestibular function, and congenital and age-related hearing and balance disabilities.