This study investigates the relationship between early life stressors and adult mental health through methylome-wide association studies, finding no evidence of methylome mediation but linking birth date to blood cell type composition.

Human Molecular Genetics · Sep 13, 2021Peer-reviewedGenetic & Genomic Medicine

Genomic and phenomic insights from an atlas of genetic effects on DNA methylation

Josine L. Min, Gibran Hemani, Eilis J. Hannon, Koen F. Dekkers, Juan Castillo Fernandez, René Luijk, Elena Carnero‐Montoro, Daniel John Lawson, Kimberley Burrows, Matthew J Suderman, Andrew D. Bretherick, Tom G. Richardson, Johanna Klughammer, Valentina Iotchkova, Gemma C. Sharp, , Marinus H. van IJzendoorn

The paper identifies genetic variants influencing DNA methylation in blood and shows their associations with complex traits and diseases, but finds limited direct causality.

Nature Genetics · Sep 1, 2021Peer-reviewedGenetic & Genomic Medicine

Assessing the co-variability of DNA methylation across peripheral cells and tissues: implications for the interpretation of findings in epigenetic epidemiology

Eilis J. Hannon, Georgina Mansell, Emma Walker, Marta F. Nabais, Joe Burrage, Agnieszka Kepa, Janis Best-Lane, Anna Rose, Suzanne Heck, Terrie E. Moffitt, Avshalom Caspi, Louise Arseneault, Jonathan S. Mill

This study examines DNA methylation differences across blood cell types and tissues, showing that whole blood DNAm reflects contributions from multiple cell types rather than being cell-type specific.

PLoS Genetics · Mar 19, 2021Peer-reviewedGenomics

Investigating the Genetic Architecture of Non-Cognitive Skills Using GWAS-by-Subtraction

Perline Demange, Margherita Malanchini, Travis T. Mallard, Pietro Biroli, Simon R. Cox, Andrew David Grotzinger, Elliot M. Tucker–Drob, Abdel Abdellaoui, Louise Arseneault, Elsje van Bergen, Dorret Irene Boomsma, Avshalom Caspi, David L. Corcoran, Benjamin W. Domingue, Kathleen Mullan Harris, , Michel Guillaume Nivard

This study identifies 157 genome-wide significant loci associated with non-cognitive contributions to educational attainment, explaining 57% of genetic variance.

Nature Genetics · Jan 1, 2021Peer-reviewedGenetics

DNA methylation signatures of aggression and closely related constructs: A meta-analysis of epigenome-wide studies across the lifespan

Jenny van Dongen, Fiona A. Hagenbeek, Matthew J Suderman, Peter J. Roetman, Karen Sugden, Andreas G. Chiocchetti, Khadeeja Ismail, Rosa H. Mulder, Jonathan D. Hafferty, Mark J. Adams, Rosie May Walker, Stewart W. Morris, Jari M. T. Lahti, Leanne K. Küpers, Geòrgia Escaramís, , Dorret Irene Boomsma

This paper identifies DNA methylation sites associated with aggression through a meta-analysis of epigenome-wide studies across different age groups and tissues.

bioRxiv · Jul 22, 2020 · PreprintGenetics

Quantification of the pace of biological aging in humans through a blood test: The DunedinPoAm DNA methylation algorithm

Daniel W. Belsky, Avshalom Caspi, Louise Arseneault, Andrea Baccarelli, David L. Corcoran, Xu Gao, Eilis J. Hannon, Hona Lee Harrington, Line Jee Hartmann Rasmussen, Renate Houts, Kim M. Huffman, William E. Kraus, Dayoon Kwon, Jonathan S. Mill, Carl F. Pieper, , Terrie E. Moffitt

The paper develops a DNA methylation-based blood test, DunedinPoAm, to quantify individual differences in the pace of biological aging and validates its association with aging-related outcomes across multiple studies.

eLife · May 5, 2020Peer-reviewedGenomics

Using DNA from mothers and children to study parental investment in children’s educational attainment

Jasmin Wertz, Terrie E. Moffitt, Jessica C. Agnew‐Blais, Louise Arseneault, Daniel W. Belsky, David L. Corcoran, Renate Houts, Timothy Matthews, Joseph A. Prinz, Leah S. Richmond‐Rakerd, Karen Sugden, Benjamin S. Williams, Avshalom Caspi

This study examines how maternal and child genetic data relate to parenting and children's educational attainment, finding genetic and environmental interactions.

Child Development · Oct 28, 2019Peer-reviewedGenetics

Genetics & the Geography of Health, Behavior, and Attainment

Daniel W. Belsky, Avshalom Caspi, Louise Arseneault, David L. Corcoran, Benjamin W. Domingue, Kathleen Mullan Harris, Renate Houts, Jonathan S. Mill, Terrie E. Moffitt, Joseph A. Prinz, Karen Sugden, Jasmin Wertz, Benjamin S. Williams, Candice L. Odgers

The paper links neighborhood data with genetic and social outcomes to assess whether neighborhood effects on health and behavior are due to selection or causation.

bioRxiv · Oct 4, 2018 · PreprintGenetics