Tara Moore Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Director of the Forensic Anthropology Program
Biography
Dr. Moore received her doctorate in Anatomy and Neurobiology from this university in 2000 and remained with department for her post-doctoral training. Dr. Moore is currently a co-investigator in the Laboratory of Cognitive Neurobiology with Drs. Moss, Rosene and Killiany. This laboratory investigates the effects of aging and hypertension on the structure and function of the cerebral cortex in non-human primates. Additional projects include a non-human primate model of stroke recovery.
Dr. Moore is the Director of our new graduate program, an M.S. in Forensic Anthropology and developed the Biomedical Forensic Sciences program and the Professional Studies in Applied Forensic Sciences and Criminal Investigation.
Dr. Moore is also a member of the department of Neurology where she administers clinical neuropsychological assessments to a variety of patient populations and teaches a Neuroanatomy Review Course to the neurology residents.
Research Interests
Our research focuses on two main areas: 1) the assessment of the cognitive processes of the prefrontal cortices in non-human primates and the changes in these processes that occur with aging and age-related disease; and 2) the assessment of the recovery of motor function and cortical reorganization following ischemic damage in a non-human primate model of stroke.
As a co-investigator on a program project from the National Institute of Aging to study the Neural Substrates of Cognitive Decline in Aging, I am involved in the assessment of cognitive function in young adult, middle aged and old rhesus monkeys. A related study in our laboratory involves investigating the neurobiological consequences of hypertension in young and middle aged rhesus monkeys. The aims of this study include the cognitive assessment of hypertensive rhesus monkeys and subsequent evaluation of changes in the blood brain barrier.
Most recently, a newly funded R21 grant from the National Institute of Aging (July, 2008-June 2010) will use our non-human primate model of stroke to assess the recovery of motor function and cortical reorganization following ischemic damage. The model will also be used to assess the efficacy of occupational and pharmaceutical interventions for enhancing recovery and cortical re-organization observed after ischemic events.Research focuses on two main areas: 1) the assessment of the cognitive processes of the prefrontal cortices in non-human primates and the changes in these processes that occur with aging and age-related disease; and 2) the assessment of the recovery of motor function and cortical reorganization following ischemic damage in a non-human primate model of stroke.
