Link: University of Iowa

Pediatrics

The Pediatrics key function focuses on bringing research from the laboratory to children in Iowa and around the world. It has four primary aims including:

  • Outreach partnerships across the state of Iowa;
  • The development of bench to bedside collaborations for clinical and translational sciences;
  • The expansion of gene environment studies using clinically-based populations with biological samples via repositories; and
  • The development of a perinatal research enterprise that would stretch across both the University and state of Iowa.

Some of the activities of the key function build on outreach partnerships with school nurses across the state. It continues to enroll families into a neonatal repository that includes both data and biological samples on infants born at or transferred to UI Hospitals and Clinics.


In addition, it has worked closely with the Genetics and Genomics Core to expand these activities into other clinics at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.


It is currently in the process of exploring how best to obtain this information, consistent with IRB regulations and to improve the bioinformatic aspects used for the collection and analysis of the data.


The group is working with the Vermont Oxford Network to make use of state and national databases to develop a better understanding of perinatal risk factors within our state.


The group plans to participate in the National Children’s Study, which will seek to enroll 100,000 infants across the country over the next five years into a 20-year long longitudinal study of pediatric diseases and outcomes. The CTSA provides an outstanding opportunity to bridge and build on these plans and activities.


Lab location:


2182 ML
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA 52242
Square Footage:
600 square feet


Methodologies


Family-based studies including linkage and association.


Staff


Jeff Murray                       Principal Investigator

Donna D'Alessandro       Co-Principal Investigator

Ann Marie McCarthy      Co-Investigator

Jamie L’Heureux             Program Consultant

Nancy Davin                     Research Administrator


Publications


  • Rahimov F, Marazita ML, Visel A, Cooper ME, Hitchler MJ, Rubini M, Domann FE, Govil M, Christensen K, Bille C, Melbye M, Jugessur A, Lie RT, Wilcox AJ, Fitzpatrick PA, Green ED, NISC Comparative Sequencing Program, Mossey PA, Little J, Steegers-Theunissen RP, Pennacchio LA, Schutte BC and Murray JC. Disruption of an AP-2alpha binding site in an IRF6 enhancer is associated with cleft lip. Nat. Genet. 40(11):1341-1347. 2008.
  • Riley BM, Mansilla MA., Ma J, Daack-Hirsch S, Maher BS, Raffensperger LM, Russo ET, Vieira AR, Dode C., Mohammadi M, Marazita ML, Murray JC. Impaired FGF signaling contributes to cleft lip and palate. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., U S A. Mar 13;104(11):4512-4517, 2007.
  • Shi M, Christensen K, Weinberg CR, Romitti P, Bathum L, Lozada A, Morris RW, Lovett M, Murray JC. Orofacial cleft risk is increased with maternal smoking and specific detoxification gene variants. Am J Hum Genet. 80(1):76-90, 2007.
  • Christensen K and Murray JC. What genome-wide association studies can do for medicine. N Engl J Med. Mar 15:356(11):1094-1097, 2007.

Other Information


University of Iowa Links:


External Links:


Contact Us


Jeff Murray                       Principal Investigator

Donna D'Alessandro       Co-Principal Investigator

Ann Marie McCarthy      Co-Investigator

Jamie L’Heureux             Program Consultant

  • Project Coordination resource with expertise in recruitment, IRB, and Progeny database management.

Nancy Davin                     Research Administrator

  • Administration resource with expertise in grant management and lab administration.