Home Department: Biology
Mentor: Theo Palmer, Neurosurgery

The combined effects of maternal infection during pregnancy and mutations in the gene Gabrb3 have been linked to an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder. Jacob intends to determine whether pretreating women with a pharmacological drug will be able to mitigate effects of the gene mutations during prenatal infection. Jacob’s project will advance our understanding of the interplay between genetic susceptibilities and environmental disturbances in the pregnancy-related onset of neurodevelopmental disorders.