Gregory J. Tranah, PhD

Scientist, California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute

E-Mail:  [email protected]
Address: Box 0560
550 16th Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94159

Additional Websites:

California Pacific Medical Center, Research Institute

Dr. Tranah is Director of Biobanking and Precision Medicine at Sutter Health and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Tranah’s research program is focused on identifying inherited and acquired genetic factors that impact aging and disease with the goals of identifying mechanisms that underly human aging and biomarkers to identify persons who would benefit from specific interventions to prevent disability and disease. He is the principal investigator of seven NIH grants and two hospital foundation grants (Sutter-CPMC Foundation). In his current work, Dr. Tranah leads research teams engaged in genetic studies of aging and age-related traits and is discovering genes and variants associated with dementia & cognitive function, mobility & strength, and sleep & circadian rhythms. Much of his work is focused on examining the role of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence variation in human aging and disease and he is pioneering the discovery of age-related changes in mtDNA that impact neurodegeneration, mobility-disability, vision and hearing. In a novel collaboration, Dr. Tranah will be examining how mtDNA sequence variation modifies individual responses to exercise with the goal of personalizing behavioral interventions to prevent disability. He and his colleagues have also pioneered the study of circadian rhythms in human aging and have identified modifiable activity patterns associated with dementia and mortality. Dr. Tranah is currently leading a research program dedicated to accelerating the translation of research discoveries related to health and aging to clinical settings across Sutter Health. This program is focused on the development of novel treatments, diagnostic tests, wearable devices, or other interventions that can be implemented into clinical practice to improve patient health and functioning.

Research Interests

  • Human genetics
  • Precision Medicine
  • Mechanisms of aging
  • Sleep and circadian rhythms
  • Mitochondrial DNA: energetics, disease and aging
  • Cancer epidemiology and genetics

Selected Publications

Visit PubMed to see additional publications
 

  1. Tranah G. J., H. N. Barnes, P. M. Cawthon, et al. 2023. Expression of mitochondrial oxidative stress response genes in muscle is associated with mitochondrial respiration, physical performance, and muscle mass in the Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging (SOMMA). Preprint. PMID: 37986804. 

  1. Coen P. M, Z. Huo, G. J. Tranah, et al. 2023. Autophagy gene expression in skeletal muscle of older individuals is associated with physical performance, muscle volume and mitochondrial function in the Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging (SOMMA). Preprint. PMID: 37961308 

  1. Blackwell TL, M. G. Figueiro, G. J. Tranah, et al. 2023. Associations of 24-hour Light Exposure and Activity Patterns and Risk of Cognitive Impairment and Decline in Older Men: The MrOS Sleep Study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med. PMID: 36156079 

  1. Kim K. M., R. Nerlekar R, G. J. Tranah, et al. 2022. Higher red cell distribution width and poorer hospitalization-related outcomes in elderly patients. J Am Geriatr Soc. PMID: 35506925 

  1. Posner, A., G. J. Tranah, T. L. Blackwell, et al. 2021. Predicting incident dementia and mild cognitive impairment in older women with nonparametric analysis of circadian activity rhythms in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. Sleep. PMID: 33964167. 

  2. Vaz Fragoso, C. A., T. M. Manini, J. A. Kairalla, et al., G. J. Tranah. 2019. Mitochondrial DNA variants and pulmonary function in older persons. Experimental Gerontology. PMID: 30508565. 

  3. Buford T. W., T. M. Manini, J. A. Kairalla, et al., G. J. Tranah. 2018. Mitochondrial DNA sequence variants associated with blood pressure among two cohorts of older adults. Journal of the American Heart Association. PMID: 30371200. 

  1. Manini TM, T. W. Buford, J. A. Kairalla, et al., G. J. Tranah. 2018. Meta-analysis identifies mitochondrial DNA sequence variants associated with walking speed. Geroscience. PMID: 30338417. 

  1. Tranah G. J., S. M. Katzman, K. Lauterjung, et al. 2018. Mitochondrial DNA m.3243A>G heteroplasmy affects multiple aging phenotypes and risk of mortality. Nature Scientific Reports. PMID: 30089816. 

  1. Tranah, G. J., J. E. Maglione, K. Yaffe, et al. 2018. Mitochondrial DNA m.13514G>A heteroplasmy is associated with depressive symptoms in the elderly. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. PMID: 29984425. 

  1. Tranah, G. J., K. Yaffe, S. Katzman, et al. 2015. Mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy associations with neurosensory and mobility function in the elderly. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences A. PMID: 26328603. 

  1. Tranah, G. J., A. Santaniello, S. Caillier, et al. 2015. Mitochondrial DNA sequence variation in multiple sclerosis. Neurology. July 1. PMID: 26136518.