George Kuchel, M.D., F.R.C.P.

Professor of Medicine, Travelers Chair in Geriatrics and Gerontology University of Connecticut

  • Storrs CT

Improving health and independence in older adults through multidisciplinary team science

Contact

University of Connecticut

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Biography

My research has always been translational, seeking to define and target risk and mechanistic pathways contributing to functional declines involving voiding, cognition, mobility and host defense. In order to move the field from a description of associations to an understanding of mechanisms, my colleagues and I have sought to overcome barriers between studies involving human subjects and research conducted using cells and animal models. Thus, over the years my own research activities have moved back and forth between the bench and more clinical and translational settings.

My ability to accomplish these scientific objectives and to also mentor trainees involving such multifaceted experimental approaches is made possible by the fact that the UConn Center on Aging is the multidisciplinary home to clinical investigators, population and social scientists, as well as basic researchers - all supported by a total research portfolio exceeding $ 40 million.

At the UConn Center on Aging, we have established a research program focused on Precision Gerontology. This is an effort to leverage discoveries in the gerontological sciences towards the development of clinical interventions that are more precise and effective by virtue of better addressing increasing variability between individuals with aging. To that end, we are focused on defining risk factors and mechanisms that are implicated in both aging and chronic diseases, using such information to design more specific and effective interventions. Such efforts are enabled by the fact that our Center is the multidisciplinary home to basic scientists, clinical investigators and population researchers whose work is supported by a broad funding portfolio.

Areas of Expertise

Mobility and Frailty
Voiding Issues and Urinary Incontinence
Geroscience
Geriatric Medicine
Aging
Gerontology
Vaccines and Immunology of Aging
Delirium and Dementia

Education

Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Postdoctoral Fellowship

1992

Harvard

Postdoctoral Fellowship

1989

Harvard

Fellowship

Geriatrics and Gerontology Fellowship

1987

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Affiliations

  • UConn John Dempsey Hospital

Accomplishments

Academy for Health and Lifespan Research

2023-10-17

AHLR is the leading organization comprising the world’s most esteemed scientists dedicated to studying the mechanisms of aging and developing interventions to slow and reverse the process. Its members are elected annually based on their significant scientific contributions and commitment to the community.

Social

Media Appearances

Maybe It’s Not Just Aging. Maybe It’s Anemia.

The New York Times  print

2025-06-28

Anemia “deserves our attention, but it doesn’t always get it,” said Dr. George Kuchel, a geriatrician at the University of Connecticut, who wasn’t surprised by the findings.

That’s partly because anemia has so many causes, some more treatable than others. In perhaps a third of cases, it arises from a nutritional deficiency — usually a lack of iron, but sometimes of vitamin B12 or folate (called folic acid in synthetic form).

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Strength of immune-system response may drive healthy aging

UPI  online

2025-05-23

It may not be the mythical fountain of youth, but the strength of the body's immune system could hold the key to a healthy, long life, experts told UPI.

The concept of so-called "immune resilience" has gained traction in recent years, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, which heightened awareness of the importance of a strong immune system, according to geriatrician Dr. George Kuchel, director of the Center on Aging at the University of Connecticut.

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CT Doctor Discusses Vaccines to Fight RSV

NBC Connecticut  tv

2023-05-19

After the FDA approved the world’s first RSV vaccine, a UConn Health doctor explains how it and other ones in development work to protect the youngest and oldest populations.

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Articles

Aging Augments the Impact of Influenza Respiratory Tract Infection on Mobility Impairments, Muscle-Localized Inflammation, and Muscle Atrophy

Aging

2016

Although the influenza virus only infects the respiratory system, myalgias are commonly experienced during infection. In addition to a greater risk of hospitalization and death, older adults are more likely to develop disability following influenza infection; however, this relationship is understudied. We hypothesized that upon challenge with influenza, aging would be associated with functional ...

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Human Longevity is Influenced by Many Genetic Variants: Evidence from 75,000 UK Biobank Participants

Aging

2016

Variation in human lifespan is 20 to 30% heritable in twins but few genetic variants have been identified. We undertook a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) using age at death of parents of middle-aged UK Biobank participants of European decent (n=75,244 with father's and/or mother's data, excluding early deaths). Genetic risk scores for 19 phenotypes (n=777 proven variants) were also tested ...

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A Geriatric Perspective on Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

Journal of American Geriatrics Society

2016

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of vertigo in older adults. Beyond the unpleasant sensation of vertigo, BPPV also negatively affects older adults' gait and balance and increases their risk of falling. As such it has a profound effect on function, independence, and quality of life. Otoconia are the inner ear structures that help detect horizontal and vertical movements ...

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