Julie Horvath

Dr. Julie Horvath is a Research Professor in Biological and Biomedical Sciences at North Carolina Central University and an Adjunct Assistant Research Professor in Evolutionary Anthropology at Duke University. She also serves as Associate Director of the Triangle Center for Evolutionary Medicine and is a member of the Comparative Medicine Institute. Her research focuses on comparative evolutionary genomics and the interplay between genetics and health in primates. She holds a PhD in Human Genetics from Case Western Reserve University (2004) and a BS in Zoology from Michigan State University (1996).

Her work integrates genomic analyses with behavioral and ecological studies, particularly in rhesus macaques, to explore social behavior, aging, and autism-like traits. Collaborations include Duke University, NC State University, and the Caribbean Primate Research Center. She leads projects on primate microbiomes, leveraging citizen science to study microbial diversity in human and non-human primates. Her NIH-funded research bridges field-based ecology with genomic methods, advancing understanding of human and primate evolution.

Dr. Horvath’s recent studies include modeling human aging through macaque physiology, sequencing primate genomes, and analyzing armpit microbial communities influenced by hygiene products. These projects highlight interdisciplinary approaches to evolutionary medicine and public health.

Her grants include a NIH stimulus grant and a 5-year NIH research grant. She advocates for citizen science and education outreach, publishing on tools to engage students and the public in scientific research.