This article was originally published by the San Antonio Report
San Antonio is home to one of the nation’s largest colonies of marmosets, squirrel-sized monkeys native to Brazil that love mini marshmallows.
Roughly 450 of these miniature monkeys reside at Texas Biomedical Research Institute’s Southwest National Primate Research Center.
Scientists at Texas Biomed and from around the world utilize marmosets to gain insights around human aging, reproductive health, cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s plus chronic conditions like diabetes, as well as infectious diseases.
Since aspects of their biology, brains and aging processes are similar to humans’, marmosets are especially important for research on aging, longevity and extending health span.
Research into longevity and health span, or the number of years someone lives in relatively good health, has boomed in recent years.