Sofia Carrera is interested in how the early-life environment impacts development, health, and aging in primates. Her PhD research at the University of Michigan examined the relationship between challenging environments, maternal endocrinology, and offspring development in wild geladas – monkeys endemic to the highlands of Ethiopia. Sofia found that first-time mothers and mothers of low social rank had elevated glucocorticoids during pregnancy and took longer to wean their offspring. Future research will examine additional outcomes for offspring such as growth rate. As a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Anthropology, Sofia is now investigating the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and biological aging in humans.

Sofia is passionate about leveraging research on both humans and non-human primates to better understand the physiological mechanisms contributing to health inequities around the globe. She is also committed to increasing diversity in STEM fields at all levels, via teaching, mentoring, and science communication.