Grant: Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA) program

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) result from a complex interplay between our genes and our surroundings. We do not know the exact mechanisms. We do know that chemical attachments to the DNA (=epigenetics) reflect the interplay between genes and our surrounding. We also known that smoking during pregnancy increases the risk for NDDs. We want to study whether smoking is causing NDDs, or whether smoking occurs more often in mothers of children with NDDs because of shared genetics. In this project, I will use a novel approach to examine epigenetic patterns in advanced cell models. This will help us clarify the molecular mechanisms causing NDDs, which will ultimately improve prevention and intervention strategies for NDDs.