Marianne Chanti-Ketterl

I am a geroscientist and epidemiologist with expertise in cognitive health and neurodegenerative conditions, particularly Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. My research program examines how the exposome influences brain health throughout the lifespan, with a specific focus on environmental exposures, alongside social, behavioral, and biological factors. My work has investigated traumatic brain injury, metabolic biomarkers, resilience, and cognitive training. Through these efforts, I aim to identify modifiable pathways that promote healthy cognitive aging, reduce risk, and delay disease progression across diverse aging populations.

A central focus of my scholarship is to improve the inclusiveness, reach, and translational impact of aging and brain health research. My work addresses persistent gaps in participation and representation among older adults from communities historically under-engaged in scientific studies, to ensure that research findings are generalizable, equitable, and relevant to the broader U.S. population. In parallel with my research program, I serve as Faculty Operational Director for the North Carolina Registry for Brain Health, where I lead statewide initiatives to expand research engagement, strengthen community and institutional partnerships, and connect older adults with brain health studies. I also coordinate the Duke Aging Center’s T32 fellowship program and am deeply committed to mentoring students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-career investigators. Across these roles, I aim to advance rigorous, community-informed science while cultivating the next generation of scholars prepared to address the complex needs of an aging society.