The paper investigates how DNA methylation in peripheral blood relates to immune cell type composition in the frontal brain using epigenome-wide association studies and machine learning.

Brain Behavior & Immunity - Health · Jul 23, 2026Peer-reviewedNeuroscience

Not All Saliva Samples Are Equal: The Role of Cellular Heterogeneity in DNA methylation and Epigenetic Age Analyses with Biological and Psychosocial Factors

Meingold Hiu-ming Chan, Mandy Meijer, Sarah M. Merrill, Maggie P.Y. Fu, David C. Lin, Julia L. MacIsaac, Jenna L. Riis, Douglas Alan Granger, Elizabeth A. Thomas, Michael Steffen Kobor

The paper examines how cellular heterogeneity in saliva affects DNA methylation and epigenetic age acceleration, showing differences based on cell type composition and reference panels.

Psychoneuroendocrinology · Nov 15, 2025Peer-reviewedBioinformatics

Cell type-specific methylome-wide association studies of childhood ADHD symptoms

Mandy Meijer, Marieke Klein, Doretta Caramaschi, Shaunna L. Clark, Marta Cosín‐Tomás, Nastassja Koen, Xueling Lu, Rosa H. Mulder, Stefan W. Röder, Yining Zhang, Lea Zillich, Mariona Bustamente, Michael Deuschle, Janine F. Felix, Juan R. González, , Edwin J. C. G. van den Oord

This study identifies cell type-specific DNA methylation associations with childhood ADHD symptoms using deconvolution and sequencing-based methylation data from peripheral and cord blood.

European Neuropsychopharmacology · Oct 26, 2025Peer-reviewedGenetic & Genomic Medicine

A human in vitro neuronal model for studying homeostatic plasticity at the network level

Xiuming Yuan, Sofía Puvogel, Jon-Ruben van Rhijn, Ummi Ciptasari, Anna Esteve‐Codina, Mandy Meijer, Simon Rouschop, Eline van Hugte, Astrid R. Oudakker, Chantal Schoenmaker, Monica Frega, Dirk Schubert, Barbara Franke, Nael Nadif Kasri

This study uses human iPSC-derived neuronal networks to show that homeostatic plasticity involves network re-arrangement, increased excitability, and changes in gene expression related to extracellular matrix and cell communication.

Stem Cell Reports · Oct 19, 2023Peer-reviewedNeuroscience

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

Molecular characterization of the stress network in the human brain

Mandy Meijer, Arlin Keo, Judith M. C. van Leeuwen, Oleh Dzyubachyk, Onno Cornelis Meijer, Christiaan H. Vinkers, Ahmed Essam Mahfouz

The paper identifies 201 differentially expressed genes in stress-sensitive brain regions linked to psychiatric disorders and potential drug targets.

bioRxiv · Jun 12, 2020 · PreprintNeuroscience