Geriatrics

Rebecca A. Silliman, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Public Health and Chief of the Geriatrics Section at Boston University Medical Center (BUMC), has had 15 years of continuous federal research grant support, with a focus on chronic illness care in older adults. Her primary focus has been on breast cancer care in older women, with current principal investigator funding including two R01s and a K05 Established Investigator Award from the National Cancer Institute. Her K05 was renewed successfully in July 2006 in recognition of her outstanding track record in mentoring and innovative research in cancer prevention and control in older adults. Dr. Silliman is the principal investigator of two grants funded by the NCI related to breast cancer care in older women. She is a leader in the emerging field of Geriatric Oncology and serves as a key mentor for trainees at all levels who are pursuing careers in aging research. She is principal investigator of the NIA-funded Summer Institute in Geriatric Medicine for medical students; the John A. Hartford Foundation Center of Excellence In Geriatrics; and an R01 testing an intervention to increase walking in older adults. Dr. Silliman has been a co-investigator/faculty member for Boston University’s Clinical Research Training Program (CREST [K30]) since its initial funding in 1999; oversees research training for Boston Medical Center’s Geriatric Medicine fellows; and is co-principal investigator of the Boston University Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH K12). Over the past 10 years she has mentored nine junior faculty and fellows in geriatric medicine and 20 faculty, clinical fellows, and graduate students in cancer prevention and control focused on older adults. At the national level, Dr. Silliman serves as vice-chair of Research Committee for American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and chairs the AGS Abstract Selection Committee for the Society’s annual meeting. Dr. Silliman has served as Chief of the Geriatrics Section at BUMC for over seven years and was selected as a John A. Hartford Geriatrics Leadership Scholars Program awardee in 2004. She has extensive study section experience and currently serves as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS:

Ulcickas Yood M, Owusu C, Buist DSM, Geiger AM, Field TS, Thwin SS, Lash TL, Prout MN, Frost FJ, Wei F, Quinn VP, Silliman RA.  The mortality impact of less than standard therapy in older breast cancer patients.  J Am Coll Surg 2008;206:66-75.

Lash TL, Fox MP, Buist DSM, Wei F, Field TS, Frost FJ, Geiger AM, Quinn VP, Ulcickas Yood M, Silliman RA.  Mammography surveillance and mortality in older breast cancer survivors.  J Clin Oncol 2007; 25:3001-06.

Clough-Gorr KM, Ganz PA, Silliman RA.  Older breast cancer survivors: Factors associated with change in emotional well-being.  J Clin Oncol 2007;25:1334-40.

Lash TL, Mor V, Wieland D, Ferrucci L, Satariano WA, Silliman RA.  Methodology, design, and analytic techniques to address measurement of comorbidity.  J Gerontol 2007;62A:281-85.