Member Spotlight

Q&A with Roger J. M. McCarter, Ph.D from The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.

Q: How does GSA assist with your professional development?
A: I’ve been a GSA member for over 25 years, joining in the 1980’s.  The Society has been a major factor in my development as a Gerontological scientist.  The Annual Scientific Meetings in particular, have enabled me to meet and interact with leading scientists and to hear about late-breaking developments in the area.  In turn, these interactions have led to collaborative research activities, invitations to visit other research facilities and invitations to address other groups.  Another major benefit of membership has been the opportunity to learn about developments in non-biological areas, such as the sociology and psychology of aging.  The GSA has a truly wonderful membership, consisting of interesting and interested individuals—it has been a privilege getting to know some of these extraordinary people over the past many years.

Q: How did you get involved in the field of aging?
A: Mine was a more-or-less coerced entry into the field of the biology of aging.  In 1972, I was a muscle physiologist and faculty member of the Department of Physiology of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.  In 1973 we acquired a new chair of the department, one Edward Masoro, who made it clear to me that my future would be bleak indeed unless I got involved in aging research!  I enjoy challenges and so I set out to investigate how and why the function of skeletal muscles declines with advancing age.  In particular, I was intrigued to see if calorie restriction, the strategy for slowing aging processes, would have any effect on muscle function.  So…for the past 35 years I have had the marvelous experience of participating in the exciting progress of knowledge in just how and why we get old.  Ed Masoro was elected GSA President (in 1995, I believe) and made me Program Chair for his meeting.  Later, I was elected GSA President, in 2007.  In all, these have been wonderful, enriching experiences and I appreciate particularly the many friends I’ve encountered along the way.

Q: What are your key responsibilities at your job?
A: Current responsibilities are to teach undergraduate students about the many different facets of healthy living and to carry out research on mechanisms of aging, in collaboration with a past winner of the GSA’s Kleemeier Award, Gerald McClearn.  In addition to being on several academic committees here at Penn State, I am very fortunate to be the current President of the American Federation for Aging Research, a wonderful organization, with whom GSA maintains a close relationship.

Q: What is your most memorable experience in gerontology?
A: There are many memorable experiences, mainly related to individuals, but also to official offices and to research developments.  For example, I have had a number of terrific students in my laboratory and two of the best of these (Esther Dupont-Versteegden and Michelle Matzko) continue to make important contributions to aging research and also to GSA activities.  I have truly enjoyed teaching experiences over the past 39 years, mainly involving graduate and medical students but now also undergraduate students—I believe our future is in good hands after getting to know so many talented and well-rounded young people.  Memorable scientists, many past GSA presidents, who have been influential in my development (in addition to Ed Masoro and Gerry McClearn), include Vince Cristofalo, George Martin, Dick Sprott, and Gaetano Crepaldi, amongst many others.  Other experiences, certainly highlights, include being president of GSA (2007), president of AFAR (2011), president of the Pan American Congress on Gerontology and Geriatrics (1999), being awarded the Presidential Medal at the Paris meeting of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (2009), a Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching (1995) and the Pauline Schmitt Russell Award for Career Research (2011).  On the research side, studies involving testing hypotheses regarding mechanisms of action of calorie restriction were intriguing and satisfying in their outcome.  In addition, I had the wonderful opportunity of traveling the world in presenting the results of these studies at national and international scientific meetings.

Q: How do you feel GSA serves the field of gerontology and aging research?
A: I believe the GSA does an excellent job of advancing the field of gerontology, in all of its many different aspects.  From the social sciences to the biological sciences and to the national political scene, GSA is actively promoting the development of new knowledge and the dissemination of this to the general public.  The efficient and energetic staff somehow succeeds each year in creating well-run, exciting meetings and in creating the environment for the discussion of new ideas.  Society journals remain in the top tier in the field and are a credit to the membership.  Membership in the GSA is, in my view, essential to any scientist in the aging field who hopes to advance their own visibility and knowledge in the area.

Q: Do you have any tips for emerging gerontologists?
A: Attend the Annual GSA Scientific Meetings and make a point of getting to know the experts, literally from all over the world, who attend and present their work at these meetings.  Secondly, become involved in GSA committees, which enables any individual to broaden their expertise and become better known to their colleagues.

Q: Tell us a little about your most recent activities/accomplishments?
A: My most recent research activities have involved the use of classical genetic strategies to investigate the roles of various physiological properties (such as the hormones IGF-1 and ghrelin) in mechanisms of aging.  The recent “Pauline Schmitt Russell Award for Lifetime Research Accomplishment” from the College of Health and Human Development here at Penn State has been very gratifying, as has been my election as president of AFAR.

Q: Have you had an important mentor in your career? If so, how did it make a difference?
A: Mentors make an enormous difference in the development of any individual, especially scientists.  They develop the appropriate insistence on quality, meticulous execution and hard work.  In addition they open doors, so providing access to the leading scientists in the area.  I have been uniquely fortunate in this area, from my original professor of physics in South Africa (Frank Nabarro FRS) to my PhD advisor (Robert Ramsey) and then to the many individuals previously listed.  Interacting with them has been a joy—always stimulating, energizing and rewarding: I thank them all!