University of Wisconsin-Madison · Physics

Emborg Lab

Marina Emborg · Madison, Wisconsin

Research Focus

Dr. Marina Emborg's lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studies neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on how specific genetic mutations in primates lead to conditions like frontotemporal dementia and anxiety-related disorders. Using rhesus macaques that carry genetic mutations similar to those found in humans, the lab aims to identify early biomarkers of disease and understand the neural mechanisms behind anxiety and depression. This research could help in developing preventive treatments for these devastating conditions.

frontotemporal dementiaanxietydepressionneurodegenerationrhesus macaquessynucleinopathybiomarkerstau proteinalpha-synuclein

Research Aims

AIM 01Investigate the onset of frontotemporal dementia-like behaviors in rhesus macaques with the MAPT R406W mutation.

AIM 02Identify early imaging predictors of neurodegeneration in MAPT R406W mutation carriers.

AIM 03Assess how synuclein pathology in the amygdala affects anxiety and mood in nonhuman primates.

Skills the Lab Values

behavioral analysisMRIanimal surgeryCSF collectionlongitudinal studiesneuroimaginggenetic analysisdata collectionpostmortem analysis

Output against the department

Publications137bottom 23% of dept.17th of 22

this lab

most publishedleast published

Citations6.1kbottom 45% of dept.12th of 22

this lab

most citedleast cited

Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.