Epidemiology & Biostatistics Forum, Fall 2021

Understanding Developmental Consequences of Stress Exposure In Utero: Double hit & Eco-Bio-Developmental Models Keynote Speaker: Dr. Yoko Nomura, Queens College, CUNY December 1 , 3:30PM - 5:10M Dr. Yoko Nomura is a Professor in the Department of Psychology, Queens College, CUNY, a Research Fellow at CUNY Advanced Sciences Center (in Neurosciences Initiatives), and Professorial Lecturer at Mount Sinai (in Psychiatry). Capitalizing on the natural disaster, Superstorm Sandy, her longitudinal study, the Stress in Pregnancy (SIP) Study, attempts to chart the course of mental and metabolic disorders from in-utero through birth and early childhood as a result of exposure to disaster-induced stress in utero. Dr. Nomura will present her recent findings on molecular signatures at birth, hair steroid hormones ages 3-4, and cumulative risks for developmental psychopathology. Results are consistent with the double-hit model of early-life stress. Given the increasing frequency of major natural disasters and the legalization and increased use of cannabis, especially among women under stress, these findings have significant public health implications.