Daniel Christopher Parker

Daniel Christopher Parker
Assistant Professor of Medicine

Biological aging is the greatest risk factor for most chronic diseases, including frailty and dementia. The geroscience hypothesis posits that interventions that target aspects of biological aging may delay or prevent many of these diseases simultaneously. My research centers on understanding the mechanisms of interventions that affect biological aging, like exercise training and caloric restriction and using that understanding to develop therapies that maintain cognitive and physical function in older adults.

Current Research Interests

biological aging, geroscience, geroprotection, caloric restriction, exercise training, Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, age-related cognitive impairment

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Medicine, Geriatrics, Medicine 2020
Assistant Professor in Neurology, Neurology, Behavioral Neurology, Neurology 2022
Senior Fellow of the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Institutes and Centers 2020

Contact Information

Rm 1510 Blue Zone Duke South, Box 3003, Durham, NC 27705
daniel.parker@duke.edu (919) 660-7692
ORCID Page

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Advanced Fellowship in Geriatric Medicine, Medicine, , 2016
- Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Duke Center For The Study Of Aging And Human Development, Duke University School of Medicine 2017 - 2019
- Internal Medicine Residency, Eastern Virginia Medical School 2013 - 2016
- M.D., Eastern Virginia Medical School 2013
Medical Licensure
- 2016-01485. North Carolina. 2016
Previous Appointments & Affiliations
- Medical Instructor in the Department of Medicine, Medicine, Geriatrics, Medicine 2019 - 2020
Leadership & Clinical Positions at Duke
- Memory Disorders Specialist - Duke Memory Disorders Clinic
Recognition
Awards & Honors
Research
Selected Grants
- Common mechanistic biomarkers of vascular and neuro-degeneration awarded by National Institutes of Health 2023 - 2027
- ENHANCING THE CALERIE NETWORK TO ADVANCE AGING BIOLOGY awarded by National Institutes of Health 2021 - 2026
- Extracellular Vesicle Analyses to Develop Aging and Resilience Biomarkers awarded by National Institutes of Health 2021 - 2025
- Skeletal Muscle Molecular Drug Targets for Exercise-induced Cardiometabolic Health awarded by National Institutes of Health 2021 - 2025
- Healthy Skeletal Muscle, Healthy Brain: Are Kynurenine Metabolites the Link? awarded by National Institutes of Health 2020 - 2023
- Epigenetic Mechanisms Promoting Longevity awarded by National Institutes of Health 2018 - 2023
- A Longitudinal Epigenetic Study of Atherosclerosis awarded by National Institutes of Health 2020 - 2022
- Physical Resiliencies: Indicators and Mechanisms in the Elderly Collaborative (PRIME Collaborative) awarded by National Institutes of Health 2017 - 2022
- The Effect of Exercise Type, Dose, and Intensity on Plasma Amyloid Beta and Tau in Healthy Adults awarded by Dementia Alliance of North Carolina 2019 - 2021
Fellowships, Supported Research, & Other Grants
- A Pilot Study to Investigate the Association of Measures of Biological Age with Outcomes after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG) awarded by Duke Center for Geriatric Surgery 2019 - 2020
- The Effect of Exercise Mode, Amount and Intensity on Plasma Markers of Brain Aging in Healthy Adults awarded by Dementia Alliance of North Carolina - Lina Mae Edwards Young Investigator Award 2019 - 2021
- A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Effect of Caloric Restriction on Plasma Markers of Brain Aging awarded by CALERIE Network Program Grant 2019 - 2020
- Connecting Agencies, Practices, and Seniors through a Trusted Online Network awarded by Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute Population Health Award 2017 - 2018
External Relationships
- Cepton Strategies
- Destum Partners
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Academic Articles
  - Kraus, Virginia Byers, Sisi Ma, Roshan Tourani, Gerda G. Fillenbaum, Bruce M. Burchett, Daniel C. Parker, William E. Kraus, et al. “Causal analysis identifies small HDL particles and physical activity as key determinants of longevity of older adults.” Ebiomedicine 85 (November 2022): 104292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104292.
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  - Eckhoff, Austin M., Ashton A. Connor, Julie K. M. Thacker, Dan G. Blazer, Harvey G. Moore, Randall P. Scheri, Sandhya A. Lagoo-Deenadayalan, et al. “A Multidimensional Bioinformatic Platform for the Study of Human Response to Surgery.” Ann Surg 275, no. 6 (June 1, 2022): 1094–1102. https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0000000000005429.
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  - Erickson, Melissa L., Will Wang, Julie Counts, Leanne M. Redman, Daniel Parker, Janet L. Huebner, Jessilyn Dunn, and William E. Kraus. “Field-Based Assessments of Behavioral Patterns During Shiftwork in Police Academy Trainees Using Wearable Technology.” J Biol Rhythms 37, no. 3 (June 2022): 260–71. https://doi.org/10.1177/07487304221087068.
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  - Parker, Daniel C., Ma Wan, Kurt Lohman, Li Hou, Anh Tram Nguyen, Jingzhong Ding, Alain Bertoni, et al. “Monocyte miRNAs Are Associated With Type 2 Diabetes.” Diabetes 71, no. 4 (April 1, 2022): 853–61. https://doi.org/10.2337/db21-0704.
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  - Huffman, Kim M., Daniel C. Parker, Manjushri Bhapkar, Susan B. Racette, Corby K. Martin, Leanne M. Redman, Sai Krupa Das, et al. “Calorie restriction improves lipid-related emerging cardiometabolic risk factors in healthy adults without obesity: Distinct influences of BMI and sex from CALERIE™ a multicentre, phase 2, randomised controlled trial.” Eclinicalmedicine 43 (January 2022): 101261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.101261.
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  - Whitson, Heather E., Donna Crabtree, Carl F. Pieper, Christine Ha, Sandra Au, Miles Berger, Harvey J. Cohen, et al. “A template for physical resilience research in older adults: Methods of the PRIME-KNEE study.” J Am Geriatr Soc 69, no. 11 (November 2021): 3232–41. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.17384.
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  - Ramalingam, Sendhilnathan, Sharareh Siamakpour-Reihani, Lauren Bohannan, Yi Ren, Alexander Sibley, Jeff Sheng, Li Ma, et al. “A phase 2 trial of the somatostatin analog pasireotide to prevent GI toxicity and acute GVHD in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant.” Plos One 16, no. 6 (2021): e0252995. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0252995.
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  - Parker, Daniel C., Cathleen Colόn-Emeric, Janet L. Huebner, Ching-Heng Chou, Virginia Byers Kraus, Carl F. Pieper, Richard Sloane, et al. “Biomarkers Associated with Physical Resilience After Hip Fracture.” J Gerontol a Biol Sci Med Sci 75, no. 10 (September 25, 2020): e166–72. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glaa119.
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  - Parker, Daniel C., Bryce N. Bartlett, Harvey J. Cohen, Gerda Fillenbaum, Janet L. Huebner, Virginia Byers Kraus, Carl Pieper, and Daniel W. Belsky. “Association of Blood Chemistry Quantifications of Biological Aging With Disability and Mortality in Older Adults.” J Gerontol a Biol Sci Med Sci 75, no. 9 (September 16, 2020): 1671–79. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glz219.
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  - Colón-Emeric, Cathleen, Heather E. Whitson, Carl F. Pieper, Richard Sloane, Denise Orwig, Kim M. Huffman, Janet Prvu Bettger, et al. “Resiliency Groups Following Hip Fracture in Older Adults.” J Am Geriatr Soc 67, no. 12 (December 2019): 2519–27. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.16152.
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  - Parker, Daniel, Richard Sloane, Carl F. Pieper, Katherine S. Hall, Virginia B. Kraus, William E. Kraus, Janet L. Huebner, et al. “Age-Related Adverse Inflammatory and Metabolic Changes Begin Early in Adulthood.” J Gerontol a Biol Sci Med Sci 74, no. 3 (February 15, 2019): 283–89. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/gly121.
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  - Zhou, Jin, Daniel C. Parker, James P. White, Andrea Lim, Kim M. Huffman, Jia Pei Ho, Paul M. Yen, and William E. Kraus. “Thyroid Hormone Status Regulates Skeletal Muscle Response to Chronic Motor Nerve Stimulation.” Front Physiol 10 (2019): 1363. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2019.01363.
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  - Morey, Miriam C., Cathy C. Lee, Steven Castle, Willy M. Valencia, Leslie Katzel, Jamie Giffuni, Teresa Kopp, et al. “Should Structured Exercise Be Promoted As a Model of Care? Dissemination of the Department of Veterans Affairs Gerofit Program.” J Am Geriatr Soc 66, no. 5 (May 2018): 1009–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.15276.
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  - Parker, Daniel C., Michelle M. Mielke, Qilu Yu, Paul B. Rosenberg, Alka Jain, Constantine G. Lyketsos, Neal S. Fedarko, and Esther S. Oh. “Plasma neopterin level as a marker of peripheral immune activation in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.” Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 28, no. 2 (February 2013): 149–54. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.3802.
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  - Archin, N. M., A. L. Liberty, A. D. Kashuba, S. K. Choudhary, J. D. Kuruc, A. M. Crooks, D. C. Parker, et al. “Administration of vorinostat disrupts HIV-1 latency in patients on antiretroviral therapy.” Nature 487, no. 7408 (July 25, 2012): 482–85. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11286.
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  - Anderson, Jeffrey A., Nancie M. Archin, William Ince, Daniel Parker, Ann Wiegand, John M. Coffin, Joann Kuruc, Joseph Eron, Ronald Swanstrom, and David M. Margolis. “Clonal sequences recovered from plasma from patients with residual HIV-1 viremia and on intensified antiretroviral therapy are identical to replicating viral RNAs recovered from circulating resting CD4+ T cells.” J Virol 85, no. 10 (May 2011): 5220–23. https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.00284-11.
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  - Archin, Nancie M., Manzoor Cheema, Daniel Parker, Ann Wiegand, Ronald J. Bosch, John M. Coffin, Joseph Eron, Myron Cohen, and David M. Margolis. “Antiretroviral intensification and valproic acid lack sustained effect on residual HIV-1 viremia or resting CD4+ cell infection.” Plos One 5, no. 2 (February 23, 2010): e9390. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0009390.
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  - Levesque, Marc C., M Anthony Moody, Kwan-Ki Hwang, Dawn J. Marshall, John F. Whitesides, Joshua D. Amos, Thaddeus C. Gurley, et al. “Polyclonal B cell differentiation and loss of gastrointestinal tract germinal centers in the earliest stages of HIV-1 infection.” Plos Med 6, no. 7 (July 7, 2009): e1000107. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000107.
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  - Archin, Nancie M., Amy Espeseth, Daniel Parker, Manzoor Cheema, Daria Hazuda, and David M. Margolis. “Expression of latent HIV induced by the potent HDAC inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid.” Aids Res Hum Retroviruses 25, no. 2 (February 2009): 207–12. https://doi.org/10.1089/aid.2008.0191.
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- Book Sections
  - Parker, Daniel, and Mitchell Heflin. “Biology of Aging.” In Principles and Practice of Geriatric Surgery, edited by Ronnie A. Rosenthal, Michael E. Zenilman, and Mark R. Katlic, 1–14. Springer Reference, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20317-1.
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- Conference Papers
  - Mitchell, C., M. Morey, R. Sloane, D. Parker, H. Cohen, and K. Hall. “Two-Year Changes in Physical Activity Domains Across the Lifespan: Impact of Age and Gender.” In Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 69:S102–S102, 2021.
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  - Parker, D., K. M. Huffman, D. W. Belsky, V. Kraus, J. Huebner, and W. Kraus. “Aerobic exercise training decreases multi-indicator, physiology-based measures of biological aging.” In Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 69:S182–83, 2021.
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  - Parker, D. C., C. Colon-Emeric, and K. Huffman. “Biomarkers of Metabolic Dysregulation, Inflammation, and Cellular Senescence are Associated with Impaired Physical Resilience After Hip Fracture.” In Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 68:S7–S7. WILEY, 2020.
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  - Parker, D., R. Faldowski, M. Morey, R. Sloane, C. Pieper, K. Hall, and H. J. Cohen. “Association of Plasma Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease and Neurodegeneration with Physical Performance in Older Adults without Dementia.” In Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 70:S11–S11, 2020.
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  - Parker, D., S. McDonald, K. Starr, D. Blazer, A. Kirk, and S. Lagoo-Deenadayalan. “Pre-Operative Biological Age Advancement is Associated with Longer Post-Operative Length of Stay.” In Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 70:S137–S137, 2020.
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  - Ross, Leanna M., Roshan Tourani, Sisi Ma, Steven Shen, Daniel C. Parker, Kim M. Huffman, Virginia B. Kraus, Constantin F. Aliferis, and William E. Kraus. “Utilizing Causal Pathway Analysis To Predict Change In Cardiorespiratory Fitness In The STRRIDE Randomized Trials.” In Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 52:503–503, 2020.
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  - Parker, D. C., D. W. Belsky, and V. B. Kraus. “Quantifications of biological aging predict disability and mortality in older adults in the Duke EPESE.” In Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 67:S145–S145. WILEY, 2019.
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  - Parker, D. C., J. Counts, G. Upchurch, M. Krol, and M. Heflin. “Evaluation of an Online Community Resource Referral Platform for Older Adults.” In Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 67:S37–S37. WILEY, 2019.
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  - Parker, D. C., W. E. Kraus, C. Pieper, H. J. Cohen, and K. M. Huffman. “Data-Driven Cluster Analysis Identifies Unique Inflammatory and Metabolic Signatures Associated with Self-Rated Health, Cognitive Performance, and Function.” In Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 67:S10–S10. WILEY, 2019.
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  - Parker, D. C., C. Hecht-Leavett, T. Cunningham, and H. Okhravi. “Visual Versus Automated Rating of Hippocampal Atrophy.” In Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 65:S145–46. WILEY, 2017.
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  - Parker, D. C., K. Hall, M. Morey, and R. Sloane. “Sedentary Behavior is Associated with Elevations in Pro-Inflammatory Biomarkers.” In Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 65:S119–S119. WILEY, 2017.
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Education, Training, & Certifications

Medical Licensure

Previous Appointments & Affiliations

Leadership & Clinical Positions at Duke

Awards & Honors

Selected Grants

Fellowships, Supported Research, & Other Grants

External Relationships

Selected Publications

Academic Articles

Book Sections

Conference Papers