Dr. Bess Dawson-Hughes, M.D. graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine, completed her house training at Tufts, and went on to complete an endocrine fellowship at Harvard Medical School and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. From there, she was recruited back to Tufts where she now directs the Bone Metabolism Laboratory at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging. Her academic appointment is Professor of Medicine at Tufts University and she is a member of the Endocrine Division at the Tufts Medical Center. She is currently the General Secretariat (vice president) and a Trustee of the International Osteoporosis Foundation. In 2012, she became a founding Director of the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space. This Board of 11 members directs research and technology development on the International Space Station National Laboratory.
Her current research is directed at examining ways in which calcium, vitamin D, protein and the acid base balance of the diet influence age-related loss of bone and muscle and risk of fragility fractures. Dr. Dawson-Hughes has published over 450 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, abstracts, and reviews. She has received many awards for her research and scientific leadership, including the Corson Bolton Medal from the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, the International Osteoporosis Foundation Presidents Metal, the most widely cited peer-reviewed paper published in 2012 at her institution and others.
Past activities: Dr. Dawson-Hughes has served on the Councils of several Professional organizations, including the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, the American Society of Clinical Nutrition and the International Bone and Mineral Society. She was an Associate Editor of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research from 1994 through 2002. Dr. Dawson-Hughes was the Principal Investigator of the NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases Resource Center in Washington, DC from 1998-2003, served on the Advisory Council of the National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal, and Skin Diseases from 2000-2004. She was President of the National Osteoporosis Foundation from 2002-2005 and a member of the Board of Trustees from 1995-2012.
Dr. Dawson-Hughes is an endocrinologist and Professor of Medicine and Director of the Bone Metabolism Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. Dr. Dawson-Hughes is a past-president of the National Osteoporosis Foundation and currently is a trustee and the Secretariat General of the International Osteoporosis Foundation. Her research is directed at examining ways in which calcium, vitamin D, protein, and other nutrients influence bone, muscle, and risk of fracture. She is author of over 450 scientific publications.
