Ross Laboratory

Dr. Ross’ laboratory team is developing new phenotypic tools to assess marmoset health and behavior as a biomedical model of human disease. The team integrates behavioral, physiological and molecular markers to explore mechanisms that influence developmental programming, reproduction, obesity, health span and longevity in nonhuman primates.

The development of the marmoset as a translational model for health span and lifespan studies relies on the characterization of health parameters in young and geriatric marmosets. Dr. Ross has completed cross-sectional studies to examine health phenotypes in marmosets for five domains of interest for human health and aging:

  • Mobility
  • Cognition
  • Metabolism
  • Homeostasis
  • Immune function

Overall, these studies provide a characterization of health parameters for young and geriatric marmosets which will greatly enhance future aging and interventional testing in this animal model.

See Our Research

Main Technologies and Methods Used

  • Behavioral observation
  • Cognitive testing
  • Ambulatory testing
  • Microbiome testing
  • Physiology: blood pressure, ultrasound, respirometry, metabolism