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Breastfeeding and Neonatal Age Influence Neutrophil-Driven Ontogeny of Blood Cell Populations in the First Week of Human LifeThe first few days of life are characterized by rapid external and internal changes that require substantial immune system adaptations. Despite growing evidence of the impact of this period on lifelong immune health, this period remains largely uncharted.
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Epigenetics of the non-coding RNA nc886 across blood, adipose tissue and skeletal muscle in offspring exposed to diabetes in pregnancyDiabetes in pregnancy is associated with increased risk of long-term metabolic disease in the offspring, potentially mediated by in utero epigenetic variation. Previously, we identified multiple differentially methylated single CpG sites in offspring of women with gestational diabetes mellitus, but whether stretches of differentially methylated regions can also be identified in adolescent GDM offspring is unknown.
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Metagenomic Characterisation of the Gut Microbiome and Effect of Complementary Feeding on Bifidobacterium spp. in Australian InfantsComplementary feeding induces dramatic ecological shifts in the infant gut microbiota toward more diverse compositions and functional metabolic capacities, with potential implications for immune and metabolic health. The aim of this study was to examine whether the age at which solid foods are introduced differentially affects the microbiota in predominantly breastfed infants compared with predominantly formula-fed infants.
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Fathers’ preconception smoking and offspring DNA methylationExperimental studies suggest that exposures may impact respiratory health across generations via epigenetic changes transmitted specifically through male germ cells. Studies in humans are, however, limited. We aim to identify epigenetic marks in offspring associated with father's preconception smoking.
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Epigenomic variability is associated with age-specific naïve CD4 T cell response to activation in infants and adolescentsChildhood is a critical period of immune development. During this time, naïve CD4 T cells undergo programmed cell differentiation, mediated by epigenetic changes, in response to external stimuli leading to a baseline homeostatic state that may determine lifelong disease risk. However, the ontogeny of epigenetic signatures associated with CD4 T cell activation during key developmental periods are yet to be described.
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The epigenetic origin of alcohol-induced disorders: a cross-species studyAlexander David Martyn Larcombe Martino Symons BScEnv (Hons) PhD BSc PhD B.A. (Hons) PhD. Honorary Research Fellow Head, Chronic Diseases Research
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Association of prenatal alcohol exposure with offspring DNA methylation in mammals: a systematic review of the evidencePrenatal alcohol exposure is associated with a range of adverse offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes. Several studies suggest that PAE modifies DNA methylation in offspring cells and tissues, providing evidence for a potential mechanistic link to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
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Multiomics and Systems Biology Are Needed to Unravel the Complex Origins of Chronic DiseaseIn this concept paper, we discuss multiomic approaches to studying immune dysregulation and highlight some of the challenges and opportunities
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Children with East Asian-Born Parents Have an Increased Risk of Allergy but May Not Have More Asthma in Early ChildhoodChildren of East Asian ancestry born in Australia have a higher burden of most allergic diseases in the first 6 years of life, whereas asthma may follow a different pattern
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Candidate gene testing in clinical cohort studies with multiplexed genotyping and mass spectrometryWe describe a cost-effective tag single nucleotide polymorphism approach using a multiplexed genotyping assay with mass spectrometry