Duke University · NeuroscienceMacaque Neurobiology Lab
Anita A Disney · Durham, North Carolina
Research Focus
Dr. Anita A Disney's lab at Duke University focuses on understanding how brain changes related to aging and Alzheimer's disease manifest in a model that closely resembles human physiology—the rhesus macaque monkey. By examining the metabolome and proteome of macaque brains, particularly around menopause, the lab aims to uncover the underlying mechanisms of Alzheimer's pathology and identify potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and intervention.
Alzheimer's Diseaseagingmonkey modelmetabolomicsproteomicsneurobiologymenopausepathologybiomarkers
Research Aims
5AIM 01Explore spatial patterns of biochemical changes in aging primate brains.
AIM 02Identify biomarkers related to Alzheimer's disease before significant cognitive decline.
AIM 03Study the effects of menopause transition on brain metabolism and pathology.
AIM 04Integrate metabolomic and proteomic data to uncover Alzheimer’s risk factors.
AIM 05Develop insights for early diagnosis and potential interventions for Alzheimer's disease.
Skills the Lab Values
liquid chromatographymass spectrometrytissue samplingneuroanatomybioinformaticsspatial analysisimmunohistochemistrydata integrationquantitative analysis
Output against the department
Publications35bottom 7% of dept.627th of 671
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations1.3kbottom 7% of dept.624th of 671
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.