Behavioral Epigenetics in Children: Exploring the Social and Ethical Implications of Translation

表观遗传学已经成为科学家、医生、政策制定者和公众日益感兴趣的领域。 指在不改变DNA序列的情况下改变基因表达的分子过程，表遗传学 表明包括饮食、毒素、压力、创伤和父母照顾在内的因素可能对 代际健康。这些声明让人们重新关注表观遗传学对人类健康的影响 对健康、疾病和个人责任的理解。K99/R00大奖是一项为期五年的培训和 将使用定性和生物伦理方法解决社会和伦理影响的研究项目 与儿童健康相关的表观遗传学。具体目标是：1)根据深入访谈，描述如何 科学研究人员概念化了表观遗传机制以及这些观点对 对与儿童精神、行为和心理疾病相关的遗传风险和责任的理解 神经发育健康；2)进行3个以社区为基础的干预的人种学案例研究 利用表观遗传学的发现来改善儿童的精神、行为和 神经发育健康；以及3)根据目标1和目标2的调查结果进行规范分析，以 确定表观遗传学在研究和社区环境中的社会和伦理影响。到目前为止，还没有研究 系统地研究了涉及到制作、翻译、 以及与儿童健康相关的表观遗传学研究成果的应用。这项研究将是第一次收集和分析 经验证据，以了解不同立场的利益相关者对这一重要问题的看法 公共卫生问题。这一证据将被用来为道德行为和 表观遗传学在研究、临床和社区环境中的翻译。应聘者将收到 在遗传学和表观遗传学、生物伦理学和量化方法方面的指导培训，以促进研究 以及本项目的职业发展目标。应聘者的职业目标是：1)培养高素质、 独立资助的探索基因组科学影响的研究计划-包括 表观遗传学-关于健康、疾病和责任的当代概念化；2)产生 有助于更好地理解表观遗传学的伦理和社会影响的实证研究；以及3) 通报与实施表观遗传学和基因组研究结果有关的未来研究和政策 研究、临床和社区环境中的儿童健康。在这个项目的K99阶段，候选人的 培训将包括课程作业，定向阅读，以及对有成就的、多学科的指导 具有支持年轻调查人员的丰富经验的导师团队。该奖项将允许候选人 转变为独立的ELSI研究人员，对以下方面的影响具有专业知识 关于我们如何概念化和理解健康、疾病和个体的基因组学和表观遗传学 责任--ELSI在更广泛的社会问题领域的研究重点。

Epigenetics has become an area of growing interest for scientists, physicians, policymakers, and the public. Referring to molecular processes that alter gene expression without changing DNA sequence, epigenetics suggests that factors including diet, toxins, stress, trauma, and parental care may have lasting impacts on intergenerational health. These claims have brought renewed attention to the implications of epigenetics for understandings of health, disease, and individual responsibility. This K99/R00 Award is a five-year training and research project that will use qualitative and bioethical methods to address the social and ethical implications of epigenetics related to child health. The specific aims are: 1) to describe, based on in-depth interviews, how scientific investigators conceptualize epigenetic mechanisms and the implications these views have for understandings of genetic risks and responsibilities related to children's psychiatric, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental health; 2) to conduct 3 ethnographic case studies of community-based intervention programs where epigenetic findings are used to improve children's psychiatric, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental health; and 3) to perform normative analyses, based on findings from Aims 1 and 2, to identify the social and ethical implications of epigenetics in research and community settings. To date, no study has systematically investigated the conceptualizations and processes involved in the production, translation, and application of epigenetic findings related to child health. This study will be the first to collect and analyze empirical evidence to understand the perspectives of differently positioned stakeholders on this important public health issue. This evidence will be used to inform recommendations for the ethical conduct and translation of epigenetics across research, clinical, and community settings. The candidate will receive mentored training in genetics and epigenetics, bioethics, and quantitative methods to facilitate the research and career development goals of this project. The candidate's career goals are: 1) to develop a high-quality, independently funded research program exploring the influence of the genome sciences – including epigenetics – on contemporary conceptualizations of health, disease, and responsibility; 2) to generate empirical research that aids in better understanding the ethical and social implications of epigenetics; and 3) to inform future research and policy related to the implementation of epigenetic and genomic findings related to child health in research, clinical, and community settings. During the K99 phase of this project, the candidate's training will include coursework, directed readings, and the guidance of an accomplished, multidisciplinary mentor team with extensive experience supporting young investigators. This Award will allow the candidate to transition into an independent ELSI researcher with expertise in the empirical study of the implications of genomics and epigenetics for how we conceptualize and understand health, disease, and individual responsibility–an ELSI research priority in the area of Broader Societal Issues.