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Svetlana Ukraintseva

Research Professor in the Social Science Research Institute
Social Science Research Institute
Box 90420, Durham, NC 27708-0420
2024 W. Main St, Erwin Mill Bldg, A105, Durham, NC 27708-0420

Overview


Dr. Ukraintseva studies the causes of human aging and the associated decline in whole-body resilience, with the goal of identifying genetic and other factors that drive this decline and contribute to the age-related increase in all-cause mortality risk, ultimately limiting longevity even in individuals without major diseases. She also investigates the “multi-hit” mechanism of Alzheimer’s disease and the complex, including trade‑off–like, relationships between Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. She actively explores the role of infectious diseases and compromised immunity in Alzheimer’s development, as well as the interplay between vaccines and genetic factors, to advance personalized vaccine repurposing for AD prevention. To address these questions, Dr. Ukraintseva and her team analyze large human datasets containing comprehensive information on millions of individuals. She is a PI and key investigator on several NIH-funded grants and has authored more than 150 peer‑reviewed publications, including in major journals such as JAMA, Nature group journals, Stroke, Alzheimer’s & Dementia, and others.

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Current Duke Appointments & Affiliations


Research Professor in the Social Science Research Institute · 2023 - Present Social Science Research Institute, University Institutes and Centers
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute · 2012 - Present Duke Cancer Institute, Institutes and Centers

Recent Scholarly Works


Familial healthy aging and longevity: the role of spouses.

Journal article BMC medicine · April 2026 BackgroundFamilies with exceptional longevity often experience delayed onset of age-related diseases and reduced mortality across generations-a pattern influenced by shared genetic and behavioral factors. While several studies have focused on the ... Full text Cite

Towards personalized vaccine repurposing for Alzheimer's prevention: genotype-specific protective association of the shingles vaccine with odds of Alzheimer's disease in participants of two large cohort studies.

Journal article BMC neurology · February 2026 BACKGROUND: Our earlier study found that adult vaccination against shingles (herpes zoster infection caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus) was associated with significantly reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) later in life. Here, w ... Full text Cite

Lower hippocampal volume partly mediates the association between rs6859 in the <i>NECTIN2</i> gene and Alzheimer's disease: new findings from causal mediation analysis of ADNI data.

Journal article Frontiers in aging neuroscience · January 2026 IntroductionAlzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex disorder influenced by many factors. The rs6859 polymorphism in the NECTIN2 gene has been consistently linked to AD risk. The NECTIN2 is involved in vulnerability to infections, which ... Full text Cite
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Recent Grants


The Long Life Family Study

ResearchSenior Investigator · Awarded by Washington University in St. Louis · 2019 - 2030

Duke/UNC ADAR Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2029

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Education


Russian Academy of Medical Science (Russia) · 1998 Ph.D.