Geriatrics-Newsletter March2026 vFFFIXED

MARCH 2026

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

UCLA GERIATRICS NEWSLETTER Education Research Clinical Innovations

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IN THIS ISSUE...

New Faculty

Accolades & Awards

Research Excellence Education Hightlights Clinical Excellence

NEW FACULTY

Dr. Shyam Kolangara Dr. Shyam Kolangara comes to us after working at George Washington School of Medicine and Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, and more recently as primary care physician in an underserved community clinic in Fillmore, CA. He grew up in Toronto, Canada and completed his medical education in Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, India, then completed his internal medicine residency at the Sinai Hospital of Baltimore and his geriatrics fellowship at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. Dr. Omar Amir Dr. Omar Amir comes to us from Mount Sinai Morningside and the Icahn School of Medicine in New York, where he was assistant professor in geriatrics. He earned his MD from Stanford University, his MS from the Harvard School of Public Health, and completed his residency training in internal medicine and global health at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, followed by an advanced fellowship in geriatric medicine and medical education at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and VA Boston Healthcare Center. Dr. Amir has won several awards for his work including the United Hospital Fund Excellence in Health Care Award in 2024, the AGS Outstanding Junior Clinical Educator of the Year Award and the AGS Choosing Wisely Champion Award in 2025.

Dr. Tomonao Hashimoto Dr. Tomonao Hashimoto comes to us from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, where he was assistant professor in geriatrics. He earned his bachelor’s degree in law from Keio University before pursuing his MD degree at Tokai University. After working as a hospitalist in Japan, he completed a family medicine residency at Case Western Reserve University, followed by a geriatric medicine fellowship at UCLA. After three years in Illinois, he found his way back to UCLA Geriatrics.

UCLA Geriatrics Newsletter / Issue 3 / March 2026

ACCOLADES & AWARDS

Accolades Our UCLA-USC-Cedars Pepper Center received a notice of award. After a long break, UCLA has re- launched a Pepper Center thanks to the efforts of Dr. Jon Wanagat and others who took on roles as core leaders and helped craft the proposal. Dr. Alejandra Sanchez Lopez co-authored a module on “Advising Patients Who Are Underrepresented in Clinical Trials: Applying Care Equitably When the Evidence Is Not Inclusive” in the AGS Online Curriculum on Alzheimer’s Disease: New Diagnostic Technologies and Treatments.

Awards & Honors

Dr. Patricia Harris was nominated for the 2025 AAHCM House Call Physician of the Year Award. This prestigious national recognition honors physicians demonstrating exceptional dedication and innovation in home care medicine. After 35 years of dedicated service, Dr. Gail Greendale retired from UCLA in 2024, leaving an extraordinary legacy in clinical care and research. As a professor of medicine in the UCLA Division of Geriatrics, she advanced women’s health through landmark studies on menopause, hormone therapy, bone health, and aging. Dr. Greendale served as principal investigator for the UCLA site of SWAN (Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation), shaping national understanding of midlife health. Her work bridged clinical excellence and innovative research. The division presented her with a plaque this Fall. At our November faculty meeting, we proudly celebrated two remarkable leaders whose vision and dedication have shaped UCLA Geriatrics for years. Their leadership and vision have built a foundation that will shape the future of UCLA Geriatrics for decades. Dr. David B. Reuben served as division chief of UCLA Geriatrics from 1993–2024. For more than three decades, he provided visionary leadership, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to advancing geriatrics. His influence has touched every faculty member in our division and left an enduring

Dr. Misa Tanaka gave an invited talk to the ACP Japan Chapter, Early Career Physicians Committee, on “Fractures and Osteoporosis.” She also co- authored a book in Japanese, Rounen Igaku No Tobira [The Door to Geriatric Medicine].

UCLA Geriatrics Newsletter / Issue 3 / March 2026

national and international legacy that will inspire generations to come.

Founders Event in Bel Air that also honored Drs. Brandon Koretz (UCLA Geriatrics) and Eric Esrailian (UCLA Gastroenterology). Staff Milestones We are pleased to recognize several important service milestones in our division. Nelva Macdonald , division administrator, marks 25 years of service at UCLA. Ana Reynoso , MSTAR coordinator and executive assistant to Dr. Karlamangla, celebrates 10 years. Endy Lopez , fund manager, reached 20 years, and Erika Ramirez , fund manager, marks an impressive 30 years. Jennifer Corona , academic personnel coordinator, celebrates 5 years of service. Angel Burrell , fellowship coordinator, reached her 1‑year milestone with the division of geriatrics this February and has quickly become a valued part of the team. In addition, Miyuki Cole, who has supported MIDUS Research Project and spent decades working with SWAN study, will be retiring at the end of the month. We are grateful for her many contributions and wish her the very best. Borun Center Coordinator Kisa Hilliard was accepted into the UCLA Executive Master of Public Health Program in Health Policy and Management and is in her second quarter of study. She recently joined UCLA Chancellor Dr. Julio Frenk for a conversation on leadership, UCLA pride, and the future of public health. Dr. Frenk highlighted Kisa and her cohort on Instagram, noting their dedication to balancing full-time careers while advancing the skills needed to improve care and strengthen health equity. These milestones remind us not only of the years of service our staff have contributed, but also of the commitment, teamwork, and professionalism they bring to the division every day. We are deeply grateful for everything they do to strengthen the UCLA Division of Geriatrics.

Dr. Grace I. Chen , served as clinical chief of UCLA Geriatrics from 2016 - 2024. Her leadership and dedication inspired us all. Her commitment to mentoring the next generation of geriatricians elevated patient care. Her impact will continue to guide our work for years ahead.

Dr. Arun Karlamangla was selected to be the inaugural holder of the David H Solomon Chair in Geriatric Medicine. Dr David H Solomon was a giant in the field of geriatrics who was instrumental in founding the UCLA Division of Geriatrics and Center for Aging (now the UCLA Longevity Center) and the largest and most successful geriatric medicine fellowship program in the county. He also made major contributions to the American Geriatrics Society and its flagship journal, JAGS, in its infancy. Dr. Jonathan Wanagat received the Geriatrics Innovation Award for his pioneering research on mitochondria’s role in muscle aging, at the

UCLA Geriatrics Newsletter / Issue 3 / March 2026

EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS

Geriatrics Grand Rounds & Journal Club Our division’s monthly educational forums continue to be a cornerstone of our mission, bringing together clinicians, trainees, and interdisciplinary partners. Alumni are invited to join virtually! Recent Speakers Dr. Constance Fung (UCLA) - Health care quality and patient safety Dr. Zaldy Tan (Cedars Sinai) - Alzheimer’s disease and dementia care Dr. Greg Polston (UCSD) - Palliative care integration

Match Day Success In a national landscape where only about 40% of geriatrics fellowship positions fill each year, we feel especially privileged to train a stellar and committed group of future geriatricians. Their enthusiasm, diversity of experience, and dedication to the care of older adults will enrich our program and our community. Learn more about our Fellowship Program Exceptional Fellows for 2026-27! 10

Coming Soon: Dr. Anne Walling (March 13) and Dr. David Ganz (April 10)

Medicine Resident Bootcamps

This fall, we hosted several geriatrics bootcamps for UCLA internal medicine residents—a comprehensive, hands-on introduction to the 5Ms of geriatrics. Through small-group learning, practical demonstrations, and case- based discussions, residents gained foundational skills to better care for older adults. The goal is to equip every internal medicine resident—regardless of future specialty—with core geriatrics principles that enhance the safety, dignity, and well- being of their older patients.

Geriatrics fellows Dr. Matthew Quan and Dr. Suyee Win

UCLA Geriatrics Newsletter / Issue 3 / March 2026

Medical Student Clerkships The division’s educational footprint continues to grow. Beginning in October 2025, the UCLA Santa Monica Hospital Geriatrics service became a clinical site for second-year medical students on their internal medicine clerkship. This is an important step toward the division’s goal of introducing trainees to the rewards and opportunities of a career in geriatrics early in their training. For more information, click HERE. In addition, elective fourth-year clerkships and sub- internships in geriatrics continues to be well subscribed by medical students from around the country. Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) Program The UCLA MSTAR Program is currently reviewing applications for Summer 2026. This year, the program will fill 20 positions - 10 across UCSF and UW, and 10 at UCLA. Scholars are selected for academic excellence, interest in geriatrics, and potential as future academic physicians.

We are pleased to congratulate our 2025 Best Mentor Awardees:

• Celina Shirazipour, PhD (UCLA) • Saam Morshed, MD, PhD (UCSF) • Michi Yukawa, MD, MPH (UCSF) • Lauren Pollack, MD (UW)

Additionally, Alexandra Rentas‑Echeverria has been named the 2025 Murray H. Neidorf MSTAR Scholar, awarded to the student who “exhibits the most promise to become an academic geriatrician.” Kudos.

We proudly recognize the achievements of our MSTAR Alumni:

• Sarah Wong placed 3rd in the ACP SoCal I & II Medical Student Poster Competition. • Grace Sassana‑Khadka, Jennifer Hurtado and Sarah Wong, co‑authored peer‑reviewed publications.

Visit our website to learn more about the MSTAR Program

Collaboration with Kern Medicine Residency Third year internal medicine residents from Kern Medical in Bakersfield, CA are now coming to UCLA for some of their geriatrics education. They rotate with us for two weeks each: one week in inpatient consult services in the Ronald Reagan and Neuropsychiatric Hospitals and another week in outpatient ambulatory care clinics and nursing homes. They have dedicated didactics and a rich patient care experience.

UCLA Geriatrics Newsletter / Issue 3 / March 2026

UCLA Intensive Course The 2025 UCLA Intensive Course in Geriatric Medicine & Board Review had a successful and impactful year, bringing clinicians from across the country for comprehensive, useful, practice‑relevant education in geriatric medicine. Despite ongoing budget constraints across hospital systems, the course welcomed more than 250 attendees, including 63 returning participants who had attended the course in prior years. The 2025 program featured expert‑led didactics covering the full spectrum of geriatrics care. This year’s curriculum included a new session on the care of LGBTQ+ Older Adults: Pearls for the Geriatrician, in addition to sessions on advances in the treatment of dementia, Parkinson’s disease, sleep disorders, heart failure, late-life depression, and anxiety disorders, preventive health care in the geriatric patient, and other complex issues in older adult care. The following individuals were nominated as awardees for the 41st UCLA Intensive Course. The Cherkin Memorial Award recognizes a research scientist for significant contributions to brain aging and neurodegeneration, while the Solomon Memorial Award is UCLA’s highest honor for a clinical research leader in the field of aging. The Drs. Dan and Erna Osterweil Award for Innovation in Geriatric Medicine recognizes and supports junior- and senior-level UCLA faculty or staff who demonstrate innovation in population health, dementia, or advanced illness management.

The Arthur C. Cherkin Memorial Award in Neuroscience recipient, Dr. Gil Rabinovici , UCSF (on Clinical Heterogeneity in Alzheimer’s Disease: New Insights in the Era of Molecular Diagnosis and Therapy).

David H Solomon Memorial Award recipient - Dr. Amy Kind , University of Wisconsin, Madison (on The Power of Neighborhoods: Social Exposome and Brain Health).

Winner of the Drs. Dan and Erna Osterweil Award for Innovation - Dr. Teresa E Seeman , UCLA (on Viewing Aging Trajectories Through a Biopsychosocial Lens).

A mini-pack of five foundational lectures from the 2025 Intensive Course is now available for purchase (click HERE), as an on-demand learning opportunity for clinicians seeking core geriatrics education. We’re launching a new video podcast series featuring candid conversations between leaders in geriatric medicine, reflecting on clinical decision- making, evolving perspectives, and the philosophy behind the practice. An extension of the intensive course tradition in our 42nd year, this series brings expert voices in a deeper dialogue. The trailer premieres next month.

The 2026 Intensive Course will take place on September 16–19, 2026. For more information, visit:

Intensive Course in Geriatric Medicine and Board Review website

UCLA Geriatrics Newsletter / Issue 3 / March 2026

RESEARCH EXCELLENCE

STAT FOR 2ND HALF OF 2025

2.1 M $ In new research funding Active grants 17 Principal Investigators 8

63 Publications

In top-tier journals, such as Nature Metabolism, Annals of Internal Medicine, Journal of Neuroscience, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, American Journal of Epidemiology, SLEEP, Journal of American Geriatrics Society, Frontiers in Sleep, JAMA Health Forum, Journal of Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health, Molecular Metabolism, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabism, Lancet Global Health. Our faculty presented their research at the UCLA Department of Medicine Research Day 2025 , the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America , and the 2025 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference

Dr. Patricia Harris, Jenny Summapund

Dr. David Reuben

Dr. David Lee

Learn more about our research

UCLA Geriatrics Newsletter / Issue 3 / March 2026

CLINICAL EXCELLENCE

The UCLA Eugene and Maxine Rosenfeld Medical Home Visit Program continues to grow with exciting developments in our mission to serve homebound older adults. Our program has joined the National Home-Based Primary Care Learning Network, a prestigious initiative funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation and led by the American Academy of Home Care Medicine. Through monthly workshops and collaboration with practices nationwide, we gain access to quality improvement tools and evidence- based best practices that directly enhance the care we provide to our patients.

In 2026 we are launching Home Refresh, an innovative program providing vouchers to homebound patients for professional cleaning services to create safer living environments. This initiative addresses a critical need: hoarding disorder prevalence exceeds 6% among adults over 55, and Los Angeles County identified hoarding among older adults as a priority concern. Cluttered homes increase fall risks, fire hazards, and medical complications, while preventing caregivers from providing adequate care. Home Refresh will reduce these health and safety risks while improving quality of life for our housebound patients. For more information about the Medical Home Visit Program, click HERE.

The UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care (ADC) program continues to advance its mission to maximize patient function and dignity while reducing caregiver strain, now having served more than 4,900 patients and caregivers as of December 2025. This year, the program expanded its reach with new clinic locations in Palos Verdes and Marina del Rey and strengthened its leadership team with the addition of Dr. David Lee, MD, PhD, MBA, as Research Medical Director. For more information about ADC, click HERE.

The UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Team

UCLA Geriatrics Newsletter / Issue 3 / March 2026

Generation Xchange Program Volunteers

Being a patient in the hospital can be a very lonely and isolating experience for many older adults. Supported by philanthropic gifts, the UCLA Companion Care Program provides specialized training for volunteers to offer companionship to hospitalized older patients. Volunteers foster social interaction through conversations, board games, supervised walks, and feeding assistance. The program provides the younger generation with a rich opportunity to appreciate the challenges of aging and encourage meaningful connections between the young and the older generation through conversations about life experiences. Volunteers undergo comprehensive orientation which includes learning how to communicate with older patients, how to engage patients in stimulating activities, and how to orient older patients who may be forgetful or confused. The immersive training includes simulation of the physical challenges experienced by older adults. Presently, there are 130 active Companion Care volunteers. The goal is to expand to more clinical areas within the health system. For more information on the program, click HERE.

Our Generation Xchange Program continues its successful growth. We are now operating in 10 schools in under-resourced communities with around 100 senior volunteers in classrooms. We project that the GenX team will devote nearly 30,000 hours to tutoring and mentoring students in grades k-5th this year. For more information, click HERE.

UCLA Geriatrics Newsletter / Issue 3 / March 2026

PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT

Much of what we do in Geriatrics at UCLA was made possible by generous donations from grateful patients and philanthropists. The David H Solomon Term Chair in Geriatric Medicine was established through a gift from Dr Solomon’s family. The Medical Home Visit Program, the Companion Care Program, and the Gen X Program are all possible only because they are actively and generously supported by our donors, to whom we are immensely grateful.

To learn more about how you can make an impact, click HERE

You may also contact Linda Gonzalez at logonzalez@mednet.ucla.edu or (626) 558-8472.

FACULTY RECRUITMENT

The Division of Geriatrics in the Department of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA is seeking applications for Clinician Educators and Clinician Investigators at various ranks. For more information, check out: