Ashley Walker’s primary area of expertise is vascular aging. Her research seeks to determine the causes of vascular dysfunction with advancing age and the consequences of these impairments. Dr. Walker’s past work has identified the roles of inflammation and telomere dysfunction in age-related arterial impairment. A focus of her current research is to understand the effects of vascular aging on the brain and Alzheimer’s disease risk. Dr. Walker’s recent studies demonstrate that age-related increases in arterial stiffness has negative effects on the cerebral vasculature and brain tissue.

Dr. Walker earned her BS in Exercise and Sport Science from Oregon State University and her PhD in Integrative Physiology from the University of Colorado Boulder. She performed postdoctoral fellowships at Cedars Sinai Medical Center and the University of Utah. She is currently an Assistant Professor at University of Oregon.