Laboratory of Genomic Instability and Cardiopulmonary Outcomes

The overarching goal of my research program is to characterize how environmental pollutants influence risk of heart and lung disease in human populations by producing alterations to our genome. In particular, I focus on the air exposome and its specific components from outdoor and indoor combustion sources. Further, I investigate how the harmful effects of the air exposome are modified by atmospheric conditions characteristic of climate change. Additionally, I am interested in chemical exposures from everyday products that potentially disrupt metabolic function, as this is intimately related to alterations to the genome.

My research is conducted using data and biospecimens from U.S. and international prospective cohort, longitudinal, case-control, and cross-sectional studies. Here, I focus on special populations who experience high or unique exposures, those who are underserved, or from certain geographic regions. Within a modern epidemiology framework, I leverage molecular and genetic data measured using traditional and cutting-edge multiomic methods to achieve my research goals. In particular, I focus on candidate biomarkers that reflect genomic instability, including telomere length, DNA methylation, mutational signatures, chromosomal mosaicisms, Alu retroelement insertions, and circulating sex hormones. These molecules measured in accessible biospecimens from epidemiologic studies can be thought of as ‘biological dosimeters’ of environmental exposures and I integrate these data with environmental measurements to better understand the pathogenesis of heart and lung disease. Further, my research has potential translational implications by informing risk prediction and stratification analyses through assigning people of certain molecular, genetic, and exposure profiles to risk groups.