Author Archives: Jamie Garrett

Recently, the UNC Nutrition Research Institute welcomed Dr. John Batsis as Medical Director of the Clinical Research Core (CRC). Throughout his professional career, Dr. Batsis has dedicated himself to caring for older adults through clinical care, research, and education. Since the CRC supports human studies and helps researchers translate discoveries into real-world...

Assistant Professor of Medicine Dr. Hillary Spangler was recently accepted into the Butler-Williams Scholars Program. Held annually, this summer’s program will take place August 3-6, 2026 in Rockville, Maryland. Sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the program addresses both the opportunities and challenges of aging research. Dr. Spangler...

Last month, Associate Professor of Medicine, John Batsis, MD, made his second official visit to Japan for a five-day international symposium. Hosted by the Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Aging in the Community’s main goal was connecting research and policy discussions with frontline practice. The symposium was the second...

Associate Professor of Medicine Dr. David Lynch was recently awarded a K23 from the NIA. According to the NIH, the K23 award provides support for, “an intensive, mentored research career development experience for individuals with a clinical doctoral degree who have made a commitment to patient-oriented research.” It also provides...

In a recently published Nature Medicine article, Dr. John Batsis and colleagues discussed unintended risks of sarcopenic obesity during weight-loss interventions in older people. According to Batsis, drugs being prescribed to older adults for weight loss (incretin mimetic drugs or GLP-1s) do reduce fat, but may reduce muscle as well....

The UNC School of Medicine’s Department of Emergency Medicine has received $4.1 million in new grant funding to advance emergency care for older adults and individuals living with dementia.

Open Positions in the Division of Geriatric Medicine Division Chief Position After leading the Division of Geriatric Medicine for 22 years, Dr. Jan Busby-Whitehead stepped down in July 2025. Since then, Dr. Cristin Colford has served as the Interim Division of Geriatric Medicine Chief. Currently, a nationwide search is on...

“The people I see in clinic, they care about getting out of a chair, playing with their grandchildren, not being admitted into a nursing home,” says Dr. John Batsis. So when working with older adults with obesity, he considers various factors. And his motto on GLP-1 weight-loss drugs is, “Start...

Dr. John Batsis recently participated in a virtual Capitol Hill briefing focused on comprehensive obesity treatment. As part of this effort, Dr. Batsis advocated for advancing the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act and encouraged Congress to support coverage of obesity medications for weight loss in older Medicare beneficiaries. This initiative...

The ‘Grey Wave’ or ‘Silver Tsumani’ is here. These terms refer to the increasing number of elderly people around the world. Basically, the world’s population is aging much faster than in the past. In 2011, baby boomers began reaching the age of 65. In the United States, 18% of Americans...

Dr. Shenvi is widely recognized for her contributions in advancing medical education and Geriatric Emergency Medicine, and serving in key leadership roles in the field of Emergency Medicine, both at UNC and with numerous national and international professional associations.

Faculty and students are invited to join UNC Global Affairs, the UNC Center for Aging and Health, and the Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine for a three-day multi-disciplinary symposium on “Aging and the Family,” October 14-16, in the Carolina Union, bringing together scholars and professionals from medicine, nursing, public...