Indiana University-Bloomington · Social SciencePerry Aging Lab
Brea Louise Perry · Bloomington, Indiana
Research Focus
Dr. Brea Louise Perry's research lab focuses on understanding how social connections influence aging and related health outcomes, particularly in the context of diseases like Alzheimer's. Her projects investigate the biological mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, that could explain how social networks impact health and longevity. By exploring these links, her team aims to identify new ways to promote healthy aging and reduce the risks associated with social isolation.
epigeneticssocial connectednessAlzheimer's diseasebiological agingneurodegenerationcognitive declineDNA methylationpersonal networksaginghealth outcomes
Research Aims
3AIM 01Identify epigenetic pathways linking social connections and aging-related diseases.
AIM 02Examine how social networks modify the effects of life stress on biological aging.
AIM 03Investigate cognitive benefits of diverse social networks in the context of Alzheimer's disease.
Skills the Lab Values
DNA extractionepigenetic profilingnetwork analysislongitudinal study designcognitive testingbioinformaticsinterview techniquesstatistical modelingdata analysisneuroimaging
Output against the department
Publications228top 27% of dept.21st of 77
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations8.4ktop 26% of dept.20th of 77
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.