Section of Geriatrics

At The University of Chicago research in geriatrics draws on the institution’s rich traditions of being a home to innovative, creative research and a place where exciting collaborations occur regularly across section and department boundaries. Within the Section of Geriatrics, faculty and staff conducting research include experts in geriatric medicin

e, nursing, social work, sociology, psychology, education, gerontology, and ethics, frequently working together in inter-disciplinary teams. The topics investigated by members of the Section range from important geriatric syndromes, such as dementia, incontinence, falls, and depression; to doctor-patient communication and medical decision-making; to ethics and end-of-life care. Most of this research has important and immediate applicability to the care of older adults and the U.S. health care system.

Geriatricians also are active collaborators with and supporters of research on aging throughout the university. Collaborations span the spectrum from basic science research to clinical research to health services research. Particularly active and innovative collaborations involve colleagues in The Memory Center (neurology and psychiatry), Oncology, General Medicine, Department of Health Studies, and the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics. Research projects as diverse as basic science studies of the mechanisms of prion disease and clinical outcomes of an innovative program providing palliative care for patients with dementia are included in our portfolio.

Opportunities exist for research training, experience, or ongoing collaboration for students, residents, fellows, and faculty from any school or department who have an interest in any aspect of aging and geriatrics.