Branka studies the organization and morphology of cortical pyramidal neurons in humans and in nonhuman primates. Her focus is on the early postnatal period and the role of developmental mechanisms in influencing organization of cortical microcircuitry in adults of these species. She is especially interested in limbic frontal areas and the cingulate gyrus, and the interface of cognitive and emotional processing in relation to behavioral adaptations across species.
Branka has also been participating in projects examining the morphology of pyramidal neurons in neurodevelopmental disorders, including Williams syndrome and autism. Both in her evolutionary and neuropathological studies, she relies on classical neuroanatomical techniques, as well as on recent advances in molecular neurosciences to foster an interdisciplinary approach to the study of human brain evolution.