Professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at UC Davis Health

Dr. Janine M. LaSalle, Ph.D., is a distinguished researcher in the field of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at UC Davis. Her primary research interests lie in the intricate dynamics of nuclear organization, chromosome behavior, and DNA replication in mammalian cells. Dr. LaSalle is particularly focused on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of parental imprinting and the epigenetic variation of DNA methylation in human T cell clones, utilizing advanced techniques such as fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry.

Her academic work delves into epigenetic mechanisms that bridge genetic and environmental factors influencing neurodevelopment. Dr. LaSalle’s laboratory is at the forefront of researching several rare genetic disorders, including Rett Syndrome, Prader-Willi Syndrome, Angelman Syndrome, and Dup15q Syndrome, as well as exploring the complex etiologies of autism spectrum disorders. Additionally, she is committed to preventing health disparities in perinatal life by developing epigenetic biomarkers for preventative healthcare, aiming to provide early interventions that can improve long-term health outcomes.

Major Research Papers:

Choudhary, P., Monasso, G.S., Karhunen, V. et al. Maternal educational attainment in pregnancy and epigenome-wide DNA methylation changes in the offspring from birth until adolescence. Mol Psychiatry (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-023-02331-5

Phipps, J.E., Whipps, M.D.M., D’Souza, I. et al. Pregnant in a Pandemic: Mental Wellbeing and Associated Healthy Behaviors Among Pregnant People in California During COVID-19. Matern Child Health J 27, 1254–1263 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-023-03657-w

Yu, P; Li, J; Deng, S P; Zhang, F; Grozdanov, P N; Chin, E W M; et al. (2023). Publisher Correction: Integrated analysis of a compendium of RNA-Seq datasets for splicing factors (Scientific Data, (2020), 7, 1, (178), 10.1038/s41597-020-0514-7). Deakin University. Journal contribution. https://hdl.handle.net/10779/DRO/DU:20695228.v1