Research

Our research examines how exposures across early life, midlife, and later adulthood shape physical health, cognitive function, and risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related conditions. We study how stressors, socioeconomic environments, neighborhoods, and intergenerational influences contribute to aging trajectories and help identify early predictors of healthy longevity.

To address these questions, we collect data and integrate biomarker testing- including measures of immunity and infection-with multi-level exposure metrics in population-based longitudinal cohorts spanning childhood through older adulthood. Our team also uses digital and AI-driven methods for data collection and analysis. This approach enables us to map complex biosocial pathways across generations and pinpoint periods in the life course when interventions may have the greatest impact.

By combining new data collection with major existing cohort resources, we investigate how stressors, resources, and biological aging processes shape health long before chronic disease develops. These insights form the scientific foundation for prevention strategies that strengthen cognitive health, promote resilience, and support healthy longevity for all individuals across the lifespan.

Some examples of our recent research….

Social relationships and immune aging in early midlife: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (2025) Brain Behav Immun Health

Risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive function before middle age in a U.S. representative population-based study (2025) Lancet Reg Health Am

Familial Loss of a Loved One and Biological Aging (2024) JAMA Netw Open