Current epigenetic research indicates that adverse prenatal and childhood experiences can manifest in health problems across a person’s life spectrum, right into old age, increasing susceptibility to depression, anxiety and other mental and physical illnesses.
Research into how individuals react to the environment suggests that individuals vary in the way that they respond both to negative as well as to positive influences.
Functional Genomics provides renewed hope for the identification of diagnostic bio-markers, early intervention, tailored-treatment, and prevention strategies.
In addition to supporting the basic research generating novel functional genomic datasets and innovative research, the Ludmer Centre develops and provides the computational tools to facilitate their timely and automated analysis using state-of-the-art computational approaches and high-performance computing. The Centre’s researchers are both targeted users of the resulting neuroinformatics infrastructure as well as vital contributors to the development of novel functional genomic tools and datasets.
Patricia Pelufo Silveira, MD, PhD 
, provide leadership of this research theme. Dr. Silveira’s group is devoted to investigating how the early environment can impact and modify brain maturational trajectories that result in the development and progression of many psychiatric and physical disorders. Dr. Silveira’s research group investigates individual differences in the vulnerability to chronic adult conditions, and informs preventative and therapeutic measures.
