The research goals of my laboratory are to parse the roles of genetic variation and environmental exposures in the development of asthma and allergic diseases using genetic, transcriptomic and epigenomic markers and integrated omic and systems level analyses. We focus our studies on freshly isolated (ex vivo) blood and airway cells and in vitro cell culture models of gene-environment interactions. Our studies are in diverse U.S. populations of children and adults who have been followed longitudinally and have detailed phenotypes and environmental assessments.
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
PhD - Biological Anthropology
George Washington University
Washington, D.C.
BA - Anthropology
Prenatal ambient air pollution associations with DNA methylation in asthma- and allergy-relevant genes: findings from ECHO.
Prenatal ambient air pollution associations with DNA methylation in asthma- and allergy-relevant genes: findings from ECHO. Environ Epigenet. 2025; 11(1):dvaf013.
PMID: 40438471
Integration of functional genomics and statistical fine-mapping systematically characterizes adult-onset and childhood-onset asthma genetic associations.
Integration of functional genomics and statistical fine-mapping systematically characterizes adult-onset and childhood-onset asthma genetic associations. Genome Med. 2025 Apr 10; 17(1):35.
PMID: 40205616
EndoPRS: Incorporating endophenotype information to improve polygenic risk scores for clinical endpoints-A study in asthma.
EndoPRS: Incorporating endophenotype information to improve polygenic risk scores for clinical endpoints-A study in asthma. Am J Hum Genet. 2025 May 01; 112(5):1199-1214.
PMID: 40203832
Early-life wheeze trajectories are associated with distinct asthma transcriptomes later in life.
Early-life wheeze trajectories are associated with distinct asthma transcriptomes later in life. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2025 Apr 04.
PMID: 40189159
Integration of functional genomics and statistical fine-mapping systematically characterizes adult-onset and childhood-onset asthma genetic associations.
Integration of functional genomics and statistical fine-mapping systematically characterizes adult-onset and childhood-onset asthma genetic associations. medRxiv. 2025 Feb 17.
PMID: 40034789
Prediction and Characterization of Genetically Regulated Expression of Target Tissues in Asthma.
Prediction and Characterization of Genetically Regulated Expression of Target Tissues in Asthma. medRxiv. 2025 Feb 08.
PMID: 39974046
Genetic contributions to epigenetic-defined endotypes of allergic phenotypes in children.
Genetic contributions to epigenetic-defined endotypes of allergic phenotypes in children. medRxiv. 2024 Oct 04.
PMID: 40034775
Multi-omics in nasal epithelium reveals three axes of dysregulation for asthma risk in the African Diaspora populations.
Multi-omics in nasal epithelium reveals three axes of dysregulation for asthma risk in the African Diaspora populations. Nat Commun. 2024 May 28; 15(1):4546.
PMID: 38806494
EndoPRS: Incorporating Endophenotype Information to Improve Polygenic Risk Scores for Clinical Endpoints.
EndoPRS: Incorporating Endophenotype Information to Improve Polygenic Risk Scores for Clinical Endpoints. medRxiv. 2024 May 24.
PMID: 38826253
Population descriptors in asthma and allergy research: Time to regroup.
Population descriptors in asthma and allergy research: Time to regroup. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2024 Jul; 154(1):79-81.
PMID: 38642714
Distinguished Service Professor
University of Chicago
2018
Jonas Salk Health Leadership Award for Research
March of Dimes
2017
Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement Award
Clinical Research Forum
2017
John E. Salvaggio Memorial Lectureship
American Association of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology
2015
Reuben M. Cherniak Lecturer
Petty Aspen Lung Conference
2015
Fellow
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
2014
Named Blum-Riese Professor
University of Chicago
2010
Northwestern Obstetrics and Gynecology Award
Northwestern University Medical School
2005
Charles Reed Lectureship
American Association of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology (AAAAI)
2005
J. Christian Herr Award for Excellence in Basic or Applied Research in Reproductive Immunology
American Society of Reproductive Immunology (ASRI)
1996