Thomas M. Gill, MD, Humana Foundation Professor of Medicine (Geriatrics) and Professor of Epidemiology (Chronic Diseases) and of Investigative Medicine, has been awarded the 2022 Irving Wright Award of Distinction from the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR).
“Receiving this award is a great honor. Prior recipients of this award include 42 internationally renowned scientists and clinician investigators,” said Gill.
AFAR’s Irving Wright Award honors individuals who have made basic or clinical research contributions in the field of aging. Gill is a leading authority on the epidemiology and prevention of disability and functional decline among older persons. He directs the Yale Program on Aging and the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center at Yale.
Gill enjoys working with multidisciplinary research teams at the Program on Aging and Pepper Center, where he gets to "investigate a series of complex issues related to multifactorial geriatric health conditions with the goal of improving clinically-meaningful outcomes in older persons.”
“My clinical activities as a geriatrician inform my research, and my research is directed at advancing the science of clinical practice,” said Gill. He is also passionate about recruiting and training the next generation of clinician scientists and other early-stage investigators to aging research.
Mary Tinetti, MD, Gladys Phillips Crofoot Professor of Medicine (Geriatrics) and Professor in the Institution for Social and Policy Studies, and University of Connecticut’s George A. Kuchel, MD, nominated Gill for the honor. In her nomination letter, they wrote, “While many outstanding researchers deserve this prestigious award, few match the quality or quantity of Tom’s contributions to aging research. Dr. Gill’s groundbreaking research on function with aging, collaborations with investigators throughout the country, leadership of multisite clinical trials addressing important health conditions in aging, thoughtful and insightful commentaries, guidance of national research programs and organizations, and devoted mentorship of trainees are truly exceptional contributions to the field of aging.”
As the Irving Wright Awardee, Gill will present the Irving Wright Award Lecture at the Gerontological Society of American’s Annual Scientific Meeting in Indianapolis, Ind, in November 2022.
Gill is only the second YSM faculty member to win this honor. Tinetti won the award in 2002.
The Section of Geriatrics strives to improve the health of older adults by providing exceptional patient care, training future leaders and innovators in aging, and engaging in cutting-edge research. To learn more about their mission, visit Geriatrics.