Welcome to Primatology Alabama (the PrimAL Lab) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham!

Located in the UAB Department of Biology, we study the intersection of sociality, ecology, genomics, and health in primates.

As an extremely diverse group of organisms, primates offer numerous comparative opportunities for answering how organisms develop their physical, physiological, and behavioral features. The existence of many species alive today, some of whom are very closely related to one another, provides a powerful framework for delving into how unique variation evolves, how it propagates, and how it might continue to influence organism traits, including susceptibility to disease and chronic health conditions.

What’s more, because of their close relationships with our own human species, nonhuman primates offer a valuable window into our own health. In the PrimAL Lab, for instance, we use these close relationships to draw insights into how primates age. Aging is one of the most universal and consequential predictors of poor health, not only in humans, but broadly across most mammals and beyond. Our hope is that by unraveling the causes and consequences of aging in nonhuman primates, we may discover valuable information that may help improve the health and wellness of older humans.

To learn more about the lab and our work, visit our About Us page. Or visit our Contact page to get in touch or Join Us to inquire about joining the lab.