Dr. Anne Newman is a distinguished epidemiologist and geriatrician renowned for her pioneering contributions to aging research and population health science. She currently serves as Distinguished Professor Emerita of Epidemiology, Medicine, and Clinical and Translational Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh with significant leadership roles throughout her career. Previously, she held the prestigious Katherine M. Detre Endowed Chair of Population Health Sciences and served as Chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Director of the Center for Aging and Population Health at Pitt's Graduate School of Public Health. Dr. Newman received her Bachelor's degree in Biology, Medical Doctorate, and Master's in Public Health all from the University of Pittsburgh, completing her residency and fellowship in geriatrics at Presbyterian University Hospital. Her career has been dedicated to understanding the biological and epidemiological underpinnings of healthy aging and disability prevention in older adults.
Dr. Newman's groundbreaking research has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of the relationships between cardiovascular health, mobility, and aging across multiple landmark longitudinal studies. As a founding investigator of the Cardiovascular Health Study and the Lifestyle and Independence for the Elderly trial, she established critical links between subclinical cardiovascular disease and functional disability in older populations. Her work on the Epidemiology of Aging has been instrumental in developing prevention strategies for mobility disability, with her research directly informing clinical approaches to elderly care. She pioneered the first genome-wide association study of longevity and developed novel scales for measuring physical vigor in aging populations through the Study of Mobility and Muscle Aging. Her contributions have earned her recognition as one of the ISI Web of Knowledge most highly cited scientists in 2015, reflecting the significant impact of her work across the field of gerontology.
Beyond her research achievements, Dr. Newman has been instrumental in training the next generation of geriatric epidemiologists through the National Institute on Aging-funded Epidemiology of Aging training program, which received the NIA National Service Award. She has held leadership roles in multiple major clinical trials including the ASPREE trial and currently leads the Reducing Inflammation for Greater Health Trial, advancing understanding of inflammation's role in aging. Her teaching portfolio includes advanced courses on the Epidemiology of Aging, Biology and Physiology of Aging, and grant writing in epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Newman continues to shape the field through her ongoing research on sarcopenia, cardiovascular health, and strategies to extend healthspan in older adults, maintaining her position as a leading authority whose work remains foundational to contemporary approaches for promoting independence and quality of life in our aging population.
