PROJECTS
Our current work in the lab
REACH
We're studying how prenatal alcohol exposure affects health long-term, especially in adulthood. While it is known that drinking during pregnancy can impact childhood development, we want to understand its effects on the immune system, metabolism, aging, and brain function later in life. Our goal is to provide insights that help professionals support adults with prenatal alcohol exposure through better medical and social services.
PEACH
Sabrina Jone's project combines our IMMUNE HERO study with Dr. Catherine Lebel’s PEACH study to investigate the role of choline, an essential dietary nutrient, in neurodevelopment. Choline plays an important role in brain development and function, and higher choline intake has been associated with improved developmental outcomes.
The goal of Sabrina's research is to examine whether choline levels differ between children with and without prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), and whether choline levels can help predict cognitive, behavioural, and mental health outcomes. This project explores multiple factors that may influence choline availability, including genetic susceptibility to choline deficiency, the role of the microbiome in choline metabolism, and choline concentrations in the brain.
Ultimately, this research aims to better understand the relationship between choline and neurodevelopment and investigate choline’s potential as a therapeutic intervention to support individuals affected by prenatal alcohol exposure!
IMMUNE HERO
The importance of the gut microbiome to overall health and development has become increasingly evident, however, little, research has been done to examine the effects of prenatal exposure on this system. The IMMUNE-HERO [IMmune system and Microbiome changes: Understanding alterations in NEurodevelopmental (IMMUNE) conditions to improve Health and Emotional Regulation Outcomes in children (HERO)] study goal is to better understand whole-body health in children with the aim to better explore the interconnection of the gut microbiome, immune system, and cardiac health in relation to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder with a special focus on youth mental health. Better understanding FASD and ASD from a whole-body perspective could lead to new approaches in health care for these individuals.
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Mental Health Study
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