About

James P. Morris is a Professor of Psychology and an Associate Dean for the Sciences at the University of Virginia. His research program focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying human social behavior, with particular interest in how the brain supports basic social perceptual processes such as understanding information conveyed by facial expressions, eye-gaze direction, body posture, and biological motion. His work aims to identify and characterize these basic systems, understand how they change during development, vary across individuals, and contribute to both typical and atypical social behaviors. To achieve these goals, his lab employs a multimodal approach that includes functional magnetic brain imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG/ERP), eyetracking, molecular genetics, and behavioral experiments. His research embraces a life-span perspective, acknowledging that social processing systems develop and change across different stages of life. His contributions include exploring the epigenetic mechanisms influencing brain connectivity and social-emotional development, as well as the neural basis of social perception dysfunctions in conditions such as autism spectrum disorder.

Research topics

• Biology
• Genetics
• Sociology
• Neuroscience
• Botany
• Media studies
• Ecology
• Fishery
• Literature
• Psychology
• Philosophy
• Art
• Environmental ethics
• Evolutionary biology
• Medicine
• Materials science
• History
• Physiology

Selected publications

• Epigenetic age acceleration predicts subject‐specific white matter degeneration in the human brain

  Aging Cell · 2024 · 3 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Biology
  • Neuroscience
  • Medicine

  Epigenetic clocks provide powerful tools for estimating health and lifespan but their ability to predict brain degeneration and neuronal damage during the aging process is unknown. In this study, we use GrimAge, an epigenetic clock correlated to several blood plasma proteins, to longitudinally investigate brain cellular microstructure in axonal white matter from a cohort of healthy aging individuals. A specific focus was made on white matter hyperintensities, a visible neurological manifestation of small vessel disease, and the axonal pathways throughout each individual's brain affected by their unique white matter hyperintensity location and volume. 98 subjects over 55 years of age were scanned at baseline with 41 returning for a follow-up scan 2 years later. Using diffusion MRI lesionometry, we reconstructed subject-specific networks of affected axonal tracts and examined the diffusion cellular microstructure composition of these areas, both at baseline and longitudinally, for evidence of cellular degeneration. A chronological age-adjusted version of GrimAge was significantly correlated with baseline WMH volume and markers of neuronal decline, indicated by increased extracellular free water, increased intracellular signal, and decreased axonal signal within WMH. By isolating subject-specific axonal regions "lesioned" by crossing through a WMH, age-adjusted GrimAge was also able to predict longitudinal development of similar patterns of neuronal decline throughout the brain. This study is the first to demonstrate WMH lesionometry as a subject-specific precision imaging technique to study degeneration in aging and the first to establish a relationship between accelerated epigenetic GrimAge and brain cellular microstructure in humans.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Are Narrative CVs contributing towards shifting research culture? Workshop Report from the 2023 Recognition and Rewards Festival

  F1000Research · 2024 · 3 citations

  • Sociology
  • Physiology
  • Neuroscience

  <ns3:p>Abstract* Background Over the past decade, calls for research assessment reform have grown, led by initiatives such as the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) and the Leiden Manifesto, and, more recently, the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA). A key element being discussed as part of research assessment reform is a shift towards more qualitative assessments, focussed on the content of research and the broad skills and competencies of researchers, and the array of contributions they make to knowledge creation and innovation. Narrative CV formats have emerged as a good practice example for enabling qualitative assessments of research projects and researchers, and are becoming more widely piloted and implemented. Methods As part of the 2023 Dutch Recognition and Rewards Festival, the authors hosted a workshop to gather perspectives on Narrative CVs, including whether and how they may contribute to shifts in research culture that are needed to support research assessment reform. Results Participants, representing research organisations and the research community, discussed both beneficial and critical aspects of narrative-style CV implementations from their experiences. The effects observed since narrative CVs have been implemented were discussed, with perspectives provided on career prospects and the empowerment of the research community to direct change. Finally, the discussion turned to expectations for the future, with workshop participants calling for focus on the roles that narrative-style CVs can play in improving research careers, recognition of collaborative work, and equality, diversity, and inclusion. A short informal survey exploring levels of implementation of narrative CVs across different research organisations was run prior to the workshop, the results of which are also presented as part of this report. Discussion The authors intend to expand this discussion to other scientific and policy conferences, and this report serves as a basis for a wider and deeper dialogue in the community.</ns3:p>

  DOI

• Deciphering mollusc shell production: the roles of genetic mechanisms through to ecology, aquaculture and biomimetics

  Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society · 2020 · 128 citations

  • Biology
  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary biology

  precipitation estimates ranging from 1-2 J/mg to 17-55 J/mg depending on experimental and environmental conditions. However, organic components are more expensive (~29 J/mg) and recent data indicate transmembrane calcium ion transporters can involve considerable costs. This review emphasizes the role that molecular analyses have played in demonstrating multiple evolutionary origins of biomineralization genes. Although these are characterized by lineage-specific proteins and unique combinations of co-opted genes, a small set of protein domains have been identified as a conserved biomineralization tool box. We further highlight the use of sequence data sets in providing candidate genes for in situ localization and protein function studies. The former has elucidated gene expression modularity in mantle tissue, improving understanding of the diversity of shell morphology synthesis. RNA interference (RNAi) and clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats - CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) experiments have provided proof of concept for use in the functional investigation of mollusc gene sequences, showing for example that Pif (aragonite-binding) protein plays a significant role in structured nacre crystal growth and that the Lsdia1 gene sets shell chirality in Lymnaea stagnalis. Much research has focused on the impacts of ocean acidification on molluscs. Initial studies were predominantly pessimistic for future molluscan biodiversity. However, more sophisticated experiments incorporating selective breeding and multiple generations are identifying subtle effects and that variability within mollusc genomes has potential for adaption to future conditions. Furthermore, we highlight recent historical studies based on museum collections that demonstrate a greater resilience of molluscs to climate change compared with experimental data. The future of mollusc research lies not solely with ecological investigations into biodiversity, and this review synthesizes knowledge across disciplines to understand biomineralization. It spans research ranging from evolution and development, through predictions of biodiversity prospects and future-proofing of aquaculture to identifying new biomimetic opportunities and societal benefits from recycling shell products.

  DOI

Frequent coauthors

• Sven Thatje

  34 shared

• Chris Hauton

  29 shared

• Juliette Ravaux

  Biologie des Organismes et Écosystèmes Aquatiques

  20 shared

• Bruce Shillito

  Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

  20 shared

• Alastair Brown

  Austin Hospital

  17 shared

• Catriona Munro

  9 shared

• Katrin Linse

  Natural Environment Research Council

  8 shared

• Andrew Oliphant

  University of Southampton

  8 shared

Education

• PhD Marine molecular physiology, School of Ocean and Earth Sciences

  University of Southampton

  2015

• MRes Ocean Science, School of Ocean and Earth Sciences

  University of Southampton

  2011

• BSc Marine Biology, School of Marine Science and Technology

  Newcastle University

  2009

Similar researchers at University of Virginia

• Stephen S. Richh-170
• Gary Owensh-107
• Jarrod Martoh-101
• Jennifer L. Westh-93
• Edward H. Egelmanh-93