Dr. Janko Nikolich Honored as Gerontologist of the Year
Janko Nikolich-Žugich, MD, PhD, an internationally recognized immunologist and gerontologist at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, has received the Gerontologist of the Year award from the Arizona Geriatrics Society for his research on aging and his recent work studying the SARS-CoV-2 virus among older adults.
“I am deeply honored by the award and the recognition bestowed by my colleagues. We do not do our work to get awards, but to advance knowledge and care. So, when an award comes from your peers, it is truly most meaningful,” said Dr. Nikolich, who also is co-director of the UArizona Center on Aging and a member of the BIO5 Institute.
Janko Nikolich-Žugich, MD, PhD
“Aging is the biggest risk factor for chronic diseases. That means that as we age, we get more chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes, heart and blood vessel diseases, neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s, arthritis, cancers and others,” said Dr. Nikolich. “But it also means that the processes that underlie our aging may be the same as the ones that drive chronic diseases. And even more importantly, it means that if we can delay aging, we should be able to delay not one, but many of these chronic diseases. My continuing research mission is to discover new ways to advance aging research to improve health outcomes where people are living long and fulfilling lives without many chronic diseases at the same time.”
In addition, Dr. Nikolich is using his expertise in gerontology and immunology to identify the biological mechanisms that make older adults more vulnerable to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. His research may produce valuable insights that could help with the development of vaccines or other means of protecting seniors and other vulnerable populations from COVID-19. “It is critical to understand whether the response to the SARS-CoV-2 in older adults is of the same strength, breadth (coverage of virus variants), sensitivity and durability as in the general, younger population, and if not, to determine what we can to do improve it,” said Dr. Nikolich.
Michael M. I. Abecassis, MD, MBA, dean of the College of Medicine – Tucson, remarked on Dr. Nikolich’s “deep commitment to finding answers to important scientific questions.”
“He and his team have made significant discoveries that have advanced our understanding of the immune response as we age. Dr. Nikolich’s unique research focus on immunity, inflammation and aging allows him to galvanize and direct existing expertise toward finding innovative solutions for neurodegenerative diseases associated with aging. This type of bold and forward-looking leadership benefits everyone,” Dr. Abecassis said.
Dr. Nikolich joined the College of Medicine – Tucson in 2008 as chair of the Department of Immunobiology and co-director of the University of Arizona Center on Aging. He has published more than 180 papers in peer-reviewed journals and received more than $73 million in grant awards from the National Institutes of Health.
The Arizona Geriatrics Society recognizes exemplary health care professionals who are passionate about caring for older adults and have made significant contributions in the field of geriatric medicine or gerontology. Dr. Nikolich received the award during the Arizona Geriatrics Society Annual Fall Symposium