How early sex differences shape brain development and the risk of autism and schizophrenia
Sex-specific trajectories in epigenomic regulation of brain patterning
Researchers will look at how sex-related differences in gene control during early brain development might change the chances of autism or schizophrenia for males and females.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11263709 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective, the team will grow lab-made mini-brains (organoids) and study donated fetal brain tissue to see how genes and their switches behave differently in males and females. They will measure gene activity, proteins, and the activity of regulatory DNA elements that turn genes on and off. Then they will compare those sex-biased regulatory networks to genetic data from people with autism and schizophrenia to see if risk variants cluster in those regions. Together this aims to link early sex-specific gene regulation with later risk for neurodevelopmental disorders.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with autism or schizophrenia and families willing to share genetic data or donate tissue samples for research.
Not a fit: People without neurodevelopmental disorders or anyone looking for an immediate therapy are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could explain why males and females differ in risk for autism and schizophrenia and point to biological markers that might improve early diagnosis or guide new treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Related work using organoids, epigenetics, and genetic datasets has provided useful insights, but combining sex-specific epigenomic mapping with autism and schizophrenia genetics is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vaccarino, Flora M — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Vaccarino, Flora M
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 below.