Epigenetic signals and behavioral risk after in-utero stress in children and teens
Official title: Epigenetic susceptibility of behavioral and addictive disorders during pre/pubescence after natural disaster exposures in-utero
Funded at Queens College · NIH-11382893 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant investigates how a mother’s stress during pregnancy may leave epigenetic marks that influence fear, emotion regulation, and addiction risk in children as they grow up.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Queens College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Flushing, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $975,753 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA057310-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11382893 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children aged from in utero exposure through pre-puberty and adolescence who are part of the SIP study cohort and have diverse racial/financial backgrounds.
✕Less likely to help
Children without exposure to maternal psychosocial stress or without available bio-repositories may see no direct benefit.
What this research studies
We want to follow a diverse group of children whose mothers experienced stress during pregnancy to see how their DNA regulation relates to behavior from early childhood through adolescence. Using advanced epigenetic and genomic techniques, the study will look at markers in the placenta and in children that might reflect how stress affects the brain and immune system. With long-term follow-up and rich behavioral data, the project aims to identify biological signals that could predict later behavioral and addictive problems, paving the way for early support and interventions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to earlier identification of children at risk for behavioral and addiction challenges and inform strategies to reduce these risks.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work suggests links between prenatal stress and later behavioral outcomes; this project builds on that foundation with novel placental epigenetic analyses.
Where this research is happening
-
Queens College
Flushing, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nomura, Yoko — Queens College
- Study coordinator: Nomura, Yoko
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.