Publication Spotlight - Dr. Noha Gomaa
February 2023
A new study by Dr. Noha Gomaa and colleagues characterized a new epigenetic clock to assess biological aging in children.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, suggests epigenetic age acceleration to associate with smaller brain volumes and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children born very preterm.
“These findings give insights into how tools like the pediatric buccal epigenetic clock," says Dr. Gomaa, "and they can be used as a non-invasive biomarker to assess children's biological development."
This work builds on Dr. Gomaa's ongoing collaborations with colleagues at the Hospital for Sick Children and the Social Exposome Research Cluster at the University of British Columbia.
Citation:
Gomaa, N., Konwar, C., Gladish, N., Au-Young, S. H., Guo, T., Sheng, M., ... & Miller, S. P. (2022). Association of Pediatric Buccal Epigenetic Age Acceleration With Adverse Neonatal Brain Growth and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Among Children Born Very Preterm With a Neonatal Infection. JAMA Network Open, 5(11), e2239796-e2239796.
