
Dr. Cohen's research program includes clinical research relating to aspects of the pathways to functional decline and reilience with aging, geriatric assessment, and cancer and anemia in the elderly.
Pathways to functional decline are being explored through the NIA funded Claude Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, and includes studies of the contributions of age related physiologic change, in particular changes in inflammatory parameters, comorbid diseases and conditions, environment, genetics, and the interactionas among them. Data are derived from several current studies as well as previously collected data sets from the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE), National Long Term Care Survey, and the Chinese Longevity Study (with Dr. Zeng Yi). Previous work has demonstrated the important contributions of age related inflammation and coagulation activation to functional status. He is Co-PI of the Pepper Center Physical Performance Across the LifeSpan (PALS) study, which is a longitudinal cohort study of community dwelling adults from age 30-90+and includes functional measures and biomarkers on inflammation and metabolism.
Geriatric assessment approaches have been studied in a number of randomized and controlled studies and work is now concentrating on the application of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment tools to the evaluation and treatment of elderly patients with cancer. This is an extension and continuation of a long standing interest in geriatric oncology. Previous studies have elucidated age-related patterns of disease presentation, treatment approaches, clinical trials, survivorship, quality of life, impact of comrobidities and functional outcomes. Dr. Cohen was co-chair, and now member of the Cancer in the Older Adult Committee of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (ALLIANCE). A number of active studies and ongoing data bases aree being utilized to address these questions.
Anemia in the older adult is being addressed through an NIA funded U01 consortium (Dr. Cohen Co-PI). the current main study is an observational study followed by a pragmatic treatment trial for anemia in older adults with CHF, in collaboration with the Cardiovascular Research Network (CVRN) of the Health services research network (HSRN)
Education and Training
- M.D., State University of New York, Brooklyn, 1965
Grants
- Neurocognition & Greater Maintenance of Sinus Rhythm in AF (NOGGIN AF)
- Behavior and Physiology in Aging
- Home-based Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation to Improve Outcomes and Decrease Costs
- Comprehensive portrait of long-term cannabis users: Are they ready for old age?
- Duke Creating ADRD Researchers for the Next Generation - Stimulating Access to Research in Residency Program (CARiNG-StARR)"
- Understanding and Addressing Opioid and Benzodiazepine Co-prescribing among Older Adults with Cancer
- Healthy Skeletal Muscle, Healthy Brain: Are Kynurenine Metabolites the Link?
- Epigenetic Mechanisms Promoting Longevity
- Duke CTSA (TL1) Year 5
- Neuro-inflammation in Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction: CSF and fMRI Studies
- PACTTE-Partnership for Anemia: Clinical and Translational Trials in the Elderly
- The Role of Biological Age in Cancer-related Cognitive Decline: Lessons for ADRD
- Defining the Role of Multimorbidity in the Diagnosis and Surveillance of Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance