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Noted cardiovascular aging expert named chief of geriatrics at Baylor College of Medicine |
George E. Taffet, M.D., has assumed the post of Chief, Section of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine. He succeeds Robert J. Luchi, M.D., former director of the Huffington Center on Aging. Dr. Luchi will remain a professor in the section and focus on his clinical practice. “I’m pleased to have Dr. Taffet follow me, especially since George was our second fellow back in 1985. He is one of the finest geriatricians in the nation. Dr. Taffet is an outstanding researcher, teacher, and clinician - characteristics so critical to our continued success,” said Luchi.
Roy G. Smith, Ph.D., Director of the Huffington Center on Aging, said of Dr. Taffet, ”I, too, welcome George to this position. He is the perfect blend of basic science researcher and clinician who can work across the various sections of the Center and the Department of Medicine to help bring the fruits of our research to the bedside for our older patients.”
A native New Yorker, Dr. Taffet earned his B.A. and M.D. degrees at Brown University in Rhode Island. In 1982, he came to Baylor for his internship and residency in Internal Medicine. Dr. Taffet then completed a clinical fellowship in geriatric medicine and a research fellowship in the Baylor Department of Medicine’s Section of Cardiovascular Sciences.
Dr. Taffet has served as Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine’s Sections of Geriatrics and Cardiovascular Sciences; attending physician and Director of Intermediate Care at the Houston Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Director of the Geriatrics Fellowship Program; and Director of the John A. Hartford Center of Excellence in Geriatrics at Baylor. In 1997, was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor.
His professional memberships include the American Geriatrics Society, International Society of Heart Research, Gerontological Society of America, American College of Physicians, American Academy for the Advancement of Science, and the American Heart Association’s Basic Science Council. He is a peer reviewer for National Institutes of Health, the Veterans Affairs Research Service, and NASA, and has participated on several leadership committees for NIA. He has over 50 publications in leading medical journals and is nationally renowned for his researches in the area of the aging cardiovascular system.
An avid sports fan, Dr. Taffet and his wife, Judy, are active in the lives of their five children. They reside in Houston, Texas.