Public health researcher recognized for work on aging, cognitive health and LGBTQ+ communities
Nathaniel M. Tran, PhD, an assistant professor in the Division of Health Policy and Administration at UIC’s School of Public Health, has been named a 2025 NIH Matilda White Riley Honoree, a prestigious distinction awarded by the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research.
The honor recognizes early-career scientists and established leaders whose work reflects the legacy of Matilda White Riley, a trailblazing researcher whose career transformed our understanding of how social forces impact health across the National Institutes of Health.
Tran’s research finds that more than 1 in 10 older adults in the U.S. who need help with daily tasks such as cooking, managing money or driving receive no assistance from family, friends or paid caregivers.
“When memory problems or difficulty concentrating make everyday tasks dangerous or impossible, too many older adults are left to navigate these challenges completely alone,” Tran said. “It’s alarming that the levels of unmet needs are highest among lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer (LGBQ+) older adults.”
What began as Tran’s graduate research in 2022 has grown into nationally recognized work that aims to reshape how America cares for its aging population. Tran focused on understanding the common challenges faced by all older adults, and the unique challenges among those from LGBTQ+ communities, as they manage cognitive health problems.
“We don’t have all the answers to how to live well or to live longer, but my fellow Matilda White Riley honorees are a world-class cohort of scientists who want to tackle these complex concerns,” Tran said. “It has been a very rewarding journey to answer the question ‘What is the care system like for older adults in the U.S.?’ even if the answer reveals the problems that need to be fixed.”
Tran’s work features not just an emerging public health issue, but also a call to strengthen systems of care and support for aging populations, particularly those at the intersection of marginalization and unmet health needs. Solutions will require collaboration from policymakers, health care providers and communities working together to ensure no older adult faces cognitive decline without adequate support.
To read more about Dr. Tran’s award-winning research, read their article Aging in isolation: Sexual orientation differences in navigating cognitive decline published in the Science Direct Journal.
— Emma Ciavarella, UIC School of Public Health
