Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis

POD Center Newsletter

November 2024

Announcements

POD Center Raises Over $3,500 in Recent Crowdfunding Campaign

Thank you to everyone who supported this year’s POD Center Crowdfunding Campaign! With your help, we achieved over 75% of our goal!

Your contributions will empower us to engage, educate, and uplift families as they work to reduce health disparities within their communities. Your support helps us train the next generation of scientists, deepen our understanding of perinatal influences on health trajectories and disparities, increase representation in science and medicine, and leverage interdisciplinary science and technology to eliminate health disparities.

Thank you for being a part of our mission!

POD Center Co-Director's Highlights

What is Epigenetics? Wellness and Gene Expression with Dr. Janine LaSalle

In this video, Dr. Janine LaSalle, a leading expert in epigenetics from UC Davis, dives into the world of gene expression and how our environment, lifestyle, and choices affect our health on a genetic level. Dr. LaSalle explains the mechanisms behind epigenetics, the history of the field, and what it means for our long-term wellness. Discover how epigenetic changes can impact your risk for certain diseases and how science is moving toward personalized medicine through groundbreaking research.

Critically Speaking Podcast, “Janine LaSalle: Detecting Autism Before Birth”

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Janine LaSalle discuss Dr. LaSalle’s research on autism, focusing on prenatal gene-environment interactions. She explains that autism affects one in 36 children and talks about how genetic and prenatal environmental factors, such as maternal health and chemical exposures, play a role in autism. Dr. LaSalle discusses how they use placental DNA to identify epigenetic marks linked to autism, aiming to predict probability of autism before birth in order to intervene early. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding these factors to develop early intervention strategies.

Health Sciences Development and Alumni Relations Presents UC Davis Perinatal Origins of Disparities Center Heart Health and Pregnancy
Please join us Thursday, December 5, 2024 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. for an exclusive Zoom presentation to engage in a discussion with Leigh Ann Simmons, MFT, Ph.D., F.A.A.H.B., co-director of the Perinatal Origins of Disparities (POD) Center at UC Davis. During this presentation, Dr. Simmons will share the opportunities and challenges with their work, as well as how to engage with the POD Center to support ongoing activities. The event will conclude with an interactive Q&A session. Register here.

Funding Opportunities

Advancing Research to Understand Congenital Malformations (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Funder(s): Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Amount: Application budgets are limited to $499,999 Direct Costs per year and need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.

Details: The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to promote the development of fit-for-purpose candidate biomarkers and biomarker signatures that enable more efficient clinical trials to advance therapeutic development or be used in clinical practice to help guide clinical care decisions. Specifically, the goal of this phased funding mechanism is to first identify or confirm candidate biomarkers or biomarker signatures using human samples and/or data, followed by an independent retrospective or prospective clinical study to conduct initial clinical validation of the biomarker/signature’s clinical utility for a defined Context of Use(s). In the first phase, applicants are expected to demonstrate that the biomarker acceptably identifies or predicts the concept of interest and may include optimization of the detection method using carefully standardized human samples or datasets. The overarching purpose of this initiative is to deliver candidate biomarkers or biomarker signatures that are ready for definitive analytical and clinical validation studies.

Application Deadline: February 5, 2025

Natural History of Disorders Screenable in the Newborn Period (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

Funder(s): Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Details: This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) encourages applications that will expand knowledge of the natural history of disorders that currently are, or may become, part of statewide newborn screening programs. A comprehensive understanding of the natural history of a condition is necessary to facilitate appropriate interventions for infants identified by newborn screening. Characterization of the sequence and timing of symptom development provides information crucial for developing targeted, age-appropriate treatments and for establishing a baseline against which to assess novel interventions. In addition, for some conditions, establishment of genotype-phenotype correlations may facilitate prediction of the clinical course; for others, identification of modifying genetic, epigenetic, or environmental factors may enhance understanding of clinical outcomes. Comprehensive data on the natural history of a condition will facilitate the field’s ability to: 1) identify the underlying biological mechanisms; 2) understand the genetic and clinical heterogeneity and phenotypic expression of the condition; 3) improve diagnostic accuracy; 4) facilitate clinical trials by providing comprehensive natural history data; 5) prevent, manage, and treat symptoms and complications of the condition; 6) furnish physicians and families with needed support and predictive information about the condition; and 7) establish data collection systems or patient registries to collect longitudinal data (e.g., child/family outcomes following newborn screening).

Application Deadline: February 5, 2025

Recent Publications by POD Center
Affiliate Faculty & Trainees

Park J, Wickramasinghe S, Mills DA, Lönnerdal BL, Ji P. Iron Fortification and Inulin Supplementation in Early Infancy: Evaluating the Impact on Iron Metabolism and Trace Mineral Status in a Piglet Model. Curr Dev Nutr. 2024 Mar 25;8(4):102147. doi: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.102147. PMID: 38645881; PMCID: PMC11026733.

September 2024
Peacock, J. L., Coto, S. D., Rees, J. R., Sauzet, O., Jensen, E. T., Fichorova, R., Dunlop, A. L., Paneth, N., Padula, A., Woodruff, T., Morello-Frosch, R., Trowbridge, J., Goin, D., Maldonado, L. E., Niu, Z., Ghassabian, A., Transande, L., Ferrara, A., Croen, L. A., … Program Collaborators for Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes. (2024). Do small effects matter more in vulnerable populations? an investigation using Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) cohorts. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 2655. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-20075-x

Stewart, C. P., Arnold, C. D., Williams, A. M., Arnold, B. F., Pickering, A. J., Dentz, H., Kiprotich, M., Lin, A., Null, C., Colford, J. M., & Dewey, K. G. (2024). Social desirability bias in a randomized controlled trial that included breastfeeding promotion in western kenya. Current Developments in Nutrition, 103779. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.103779

October 2024
Alur, A., Phipps, J. E., & Simmons, L. A. (2024). Socioecological factors influencing the risk of developing hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in India: a rapid review. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 24(1), 669. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-024-06879-0

Arballo, J., Rutkowsky, J. M., Haskell, M. J., De Las Alas, K., Engle-Stone, R., Du, X., Ramsey, J. J., & Ji, P. (2024). Pre- and Postnatal Vitamin A Deficiency Impairs Motor Skills without a Consistent Effect on Trace Mineral Status in Young Mice. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(19). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251910806

Choi, J. W., Oh, J., Bennett, D. H., Kannan, K., Tancredi, D. J., Miller, M., Schmidt, R. J., & Shin, H.-M. (2024). Gestational exposure to organophosphate esters and autism spectrum disorder and other non-typical development in a cohort with elevated familial likelihood. Environmental Research, 263(Pt 2), 120141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.120141

Dickerson, A. S., & Schmidt, R. J. (2024). Invited Perspective: Protect and Serve-The Potential Role of Folate in Lead Risk Reduction. Environmental Health Perspectives, 132(10), 101302. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP16216

Geiger, S. D., Chandran, A., Churchill, M. L., Mansolf, M., Zhang, C., Musaad, S., Blackwell, C. K., Eick, S. M., Goin, D. E., Korrick, S., Alshawabkeh, A., Brennan, P. A., Breton, C. V., Cordero, J. F., Deoni, S., D’Sa, V., Dunlop, A. L., Elliott, A. J., Ferrara, A., … program collaborators for Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes. (2024). Association between maternal stress and child sleep quality: a nationwide ECHO prospective cohort study. Pediatric Research. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-024-03542-4

Kamboj, S., Carlson, E. L., Ander, B. P., Hanson, K. L., Murray, K. D., Fudge, J. L., Bauman, M. D., Schumann, C. M., & Fox, A. S. (2024). Translational insights from cell type variation across amygdala subnuclei in rhesus monkeys and humans. The American Journal of Psychiatry, appiajp20230602. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.20230602

Ko, J., Yoo, C., Xing, D., Chun, J., Gonzalez, D. E., Dickerson, B. L., Leonard, M., Jenkins, V., van der Merwe, M., Slupsky, C. M., Sowinski, R., Rasmussen, C. J., & Kreider, R. B. (2024). Effects of Human Milk Oligosaccharide 2’-Fucosyllactose Ingestion on Weight Loss and Markers of Health. Nutrients, 16(19). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193387

Peterson, A. K., Alexeeff, S. E., Ames, J. L., Feng, J., Yoshida, C., Avalos, L. A., Barrett, E. S., Bastain, T. M., Bennett, D. H., Buckley, J. P., Croen, L. A., Dunlop, A. L., Hedderson, M. M., Herbstman, J. B., Kannan, K., Karagas, M. R., McEvoy, C. T., O’Connor, T. G., Romano, M. E., … ECHO Cohort Consortium. (2024). Gestational exposure to organophosphate ester flame retardants and risk of childhood obesity in the environmental influences on child health outcomes consortium. Environment International, 193, 109071. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2024.109071

Rajaprakash, M., Palmore, M., Bakulski, K. M., Howerton, E., Lyall, K., Schmidt, R. J., Newschaffer, C., Croen, L. A., Hertz-Picciotto, I., Volk, H., Ladd-Acosta, C., & Fallin, M. D. (2024). DNA methylation signatures of prenatal socioeconomic position associated with 36-month language outcomes. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 154, 104846. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2024.104846

Schweitzer, J. B., Mukherjee, P., Oh, J., Calub, C., Bennett, D., & Hertz-Picciotto, I. (2024). 24.2 integrating behavioral, emotional, biological, and environmental factors in predicting youth externalizing disorders: new insights. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 63(10), S346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2024.07.767

November 2024
Andrew, P. M., MacMahon, J. A., Bernardino, P. N., Tsai, Y.-H., Hobson, B. A., Porter, V. A., Huddleston, S. L., Luo, A. S., Bruun, D. A., Saito, N. H., Harvey, D. J., Brooks-Kayal, A., Chaudhari, A. J., & Lein, P. J. (2024). Shifts in the spatiotemporal profile of inflammatory phenotypes of innate immune cells in the rat brain following acute intoxication with the organophosphate diisopropylfluorophosphate. Journal of Neuroinflammation, 21(1), 285. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12974-024-03272-8

Bullert, A. J., Wang, H., Valenzuela, A. E., Neier, K., Wilson, R. J., Badley, J. R., LaSalle, J. M., Hu, X., Lein, P. J., & Lehmler, H.-J. (2024). Interactions of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Their Metabolites with the Brain and Liver Transcriptome of Female Mice. ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 15(21), 3991–4009. https://doi.org/10.1021/acschemneuro.4c00367

Chaney, A. M., Arnold, C. D., Frongillo, E. A., Ritchie, L. D., Steele, E. M., & Au, L. E. (2024). Infant diet quality index predicts nutrients of concern and ultra-processed food intake in low-income children in the United States. Current Developments in Nutrition, 8(11), 104483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.104483

Choi, J. W., Bennett, D. H., Calafat, A. M., Tancredi, D. J., Miller, M., Schmidt, R. J., & Shin, H.-M. (2024). Gestational phthalate exposure and behavioral problems in preschool-aged children with increased likelihood of autism spectrum disorder. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 263, 114483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114483

Christopher-Hayes, N. J., Haynes, S. C., Kenyon, N. J., Merchant, V. D., Schweitzer, J. B., & Ghetti, S. (2024). Asthma and memory function in children. JAMA Network Open, 7(11), e2442803. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.42803

Kim, H., Le, B., Goshi, N., Zhu, K., Grodzki, A. C., Lein, P. J., Zhao, M., & Seker, E. (2024). Primary cortical cell tri-culture to study effects of amyloid-β on microglia function and neuroinflammatory response. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 13872877241291142. https://doi.org/10.1177/13872877241291142

Kim, D. H., Croen, L. A., Iosif, A.-M., Ames, J. L., Alexeeff, S., Qian, Y., Yolken, R. H., Ashwood, P., & de Water, J. V. (2024). The association of maternal COVID-19-infection during pregnancy on the neonatal immune profile and associations with later diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2024.11.014

Kuodza, G. E., Kawai, R., & LaSalle, J. M. (2024). Intercontinental Insights into Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Synthesis of Environmental Influences and DNA Methylation. Environmental Epigenetics. https://doi.org/10.1093/eep/dvae023

Lang, I.-M., Kim, Y., Ritchie, L. D., Au, L. E., & Colabianchi, N. (2024). Looking to the past: Investigating 10-year place histories as a determinant of home food environments in the Healthy Communities Study. Social Science & Medicine, 363, 117478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117478

Lau, A. R., Baxter, A., He, S., Loyant, L., Ortiz-Jimenez, C. A., Bauman, M. D., Bales, K. L., & Freeman, S. M. (2024). Age, pair tenure and parenting, but not face identity, predict looking behaviour in a pair-bonded South American primate. Animal Behaviour, 217, 53–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2024.08.015

PARK, Heui Hye et al. Air Pollution as an Environmental Risk Factor for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias. Medical Research Archives, [S.l.], v. 12, n. 10, nov. 2024. ISSN 2375-1924. Available at: <https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/5825>.

Vecchione, R., Westlake, M., Bragg, M. G., Rando, J., Bennett, D. H., Croen, L. A., Dunlop, A. L., Ferrara, A., Hedderson, M. M., Kerver, J. M., Lee, B. K., Lin, P.-I. D., Hertz-Picciotto, I., Schmidt, R. J., Strakovsky, R. S., & Lyall, K. (2024). Maternal Dietary Patterns During Pregnancy and Child Autism-Related Traits in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes Consortium. Nutrients, 16(22), 3802. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16223802

Partner Events and Publications

Upcoming Events

The Association of maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) Annual Conference: Partnering for Impact (March 15-18, 2025)

The AMCHP Annual Conference is one of the largest gatherings of maternal and child health (MCH) professionals in the United States. Every year, our conference aims to highlight MCH programs’ impact at all levels on women, children, and families and to provide participants with tools and resources to develop, enhance, and sustain vital MCH programs and services.

Save the dates to attend AMCHP 2025 in Washington, DC!

NIH 2026-2030 Minority Health and Health Disparities Strategic Plan Townhall
(December 4, 2024)

Charged with leading scientific research to improve minority health and reduce health disparities, NIMHD is launching the development of the 2026 – 2030 NIH Minority Health and Health Disparities Strategic Plan.

With community engagement at the core, NIMHD will also collaborate with NIH Institutes and Centers and the NIH Office of the Director, and in consultation with the National Advisory Council on Minority Health and Health Disparities, will produce a plan that sets the direction and goals for minority health and health disparity research for the coming years.

As we continue to address the complex factors contributing to health disparities, NIH recognizes the importance of engaging communities. We invite individuals, healthcare clinicians, researchers, and community advocates to share their lived experiences, perspectives, and ideas on how NIH can continue to improve minority health and reduce health disparities.

PAC/LAC Conference
28th Annual Conference Quality of Life for Families XXVIII (May 29, 2025)

This event allows for the important dissemination of new and emerging clinical practice standards as well as an opportunity to discuss health-related issues affecting the perinatal community. This one-day conference addresses many of the most pressing perinatal issues in the healthcare community focusing on current neonatal and obstetrical topics. The program is designed for perinatal nurses, pediatricians, obstetricians, neonatologists, hospital administrators, social workers, health educators and other professionals responsible for the care of mothers and/or newborns. Topics presented will explore areas of rapid change and significant influence on the practice of perinatal and neonatal care, with an emphasis on optimizing outcomes for mother and infant.

Partner Publications

Science Update: NIH researchers upgrade wearable device for monitoring placental oxygen levels

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have refined a wearable device that monitors placental oxygen levels—pairing it with sensors that monitor a pregnant person’s breathing, heart rate, and uterine contractions, along with fetal movements. The investigators found that low placental oxygen levels measured by the device correlated with maternal conditions, placental complications, and newborn complications in 29 pregnancies. The wearable device, which relies on near-infrared light to detect blood oxygen levels, has the potential to identify at-risk pregnancies so that medical interventions can be offered in a timely manner.

HHS Celebrates One-Year Anniversary of the Task Force on Maternal Mental Health, Details Next Steps

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) marked the first anniversary of its Task Force on Maternal Mental Health by highlighting progress and outlining future initiatives to improve maternal mental health nationwide. Plans include expanded access to mental health resources, enhancing provider training, and fostering partnerships across federal agencies. HHS aims to address disparities in maternal mental health and reduce stigma, particularly among marginalized communities. For more information, visit the HHS website here.

Release: NIH announces winners of prize competition to improve postpartum maternal health and health equity through innovative diagnostics

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced the winners of the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics Technology (RADx® Tech) for Maternal Health Challenge, an $8 million prize competition to encourage development of postpartum maternal health diagnostics for use in regions that have limited access to maternity care. The eight winning teams developed home-based and point-of-care diagnostics, wearables and other accessible technologies to improve postpartum health outcomes during the period when most maternal deaths occur—up to one year after delivery or the end of a pregnancy.

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