Brett M. Frye

Assistant Professor of Biology Biology

For my research, I’m interested in how environmental factors - such as diet or social status - influence health outcomes in nonhuman primates with the goal to better understand similar processes in humans. I use a comprehensive approach to study aging and health outcomes, including measurements of brain anatomy, social behavior, sleep, physical function, and cognition. I have worked with several species of nonhuman primates, including golden lion tamarins, common marmosets, vervets, and long-tailed macaques. I am also interested in how other organisms - like dogs - age. Ultimately, I hope my work will advance our understanding of the foundations variation in aging trajectories.

Education

BS Biology & Chemistry - Emory & Henry College

MS Biology - Winthrop University

PhD Biological Sciences - Clemson University

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship - Wake Forest School of Medicine

Teaching

BIOL 100 - Introduction to Biochemistry

BIOL 117 - General Biology

BIOL 120 - Integrated Human Anatomy & Physiology I

BIOL 121 - Integrated Human Anatomy & Physiology II

BIOL 307 - Junior Seminar for Biology Majors

Research

See Google Scholar Page for a list of publications/presentations.

Three main areas of research:

1) Studies to determine environmental factors that promote early Alzheimer’s disease-like neuropathology in order to identify modifiable risk factors that might change the trajectory of Alzheimer’s disease risk

2) Studies examining the relationships between aging-related declines (e.g., physical and cognitive impairment) and their relationship to Alzheimer’s disease-like neuropathology in vervet monkeys

3) Studies to examine the how sibling interactions impact physiology, behavior, health, survival, and reproduction in callitrichine primates

4) Studies to explore how environmental and social factors influence aging & phsyiology in dogs