Violence in the life course and gene expression profile

Principle investigator: Prof. Dr. Michael Shanahan
Researcher: Justin Chumbley, Alex Junghans

This project adds gene expression and cytokine data to the long-running z-proso, a Zurich-based panel study of antisocial behavior. Previously collected data provide a rich picture of chldrens’ exposures to violence and we are presently supplementing these data with mRNA, biomarkers of stress, and behavioral-based measures of stress reactivity. We will then examine whether early victimization is associated with these unique indications of distress, employing a matched-sample design that will allow for causal inferences.