Uncovering epigenetic biomarkers of allostatic load to investigate sex influences

Speaker: Dr. Jordan Marrocco, Assistant Professor of Biology and Neuroscience, Department of Biology, Touro University, New York, NY, United States

Dr. Marrocco is an Assistant Professor of Biology and Psychology at Touro University New York, and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Research in Neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medicine. His research focuses on the epigenomic signatures of stress and steroid hormones at different developmental periods in preclinical models. Over the last 15 years, he used, behavioral, pharmacological, and genomic methods to demonstrate the molecular mechanisms of stress-induced allostatic overload and its association with increased risk for psychiatric disorders. Dr. Marrocco received a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences and a master’s degree in Neurobiology from Sapienza University of Rome, and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Lille. During his postdoctoral training, he worked under the mentorship of the late Dr. Bruce McEwen at The Rockefeller University, where he developed an independent line of research aimed to investigate whether sex influence’s differential expression of gene networks underlying discrete brain circuits that control affective behavior. Dr. Marrocco is a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Education committees of several scientific societies, including the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, ALBA Network, and the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences.

Talk summary:

Allostatic load is an expression that often refers to cumulative stress on the body, which induces physiological and behavioral responses to cope with life’s events. This talk will show preclinical evidence demonstrating that distinct types of stressors activate clusters of epigenetic modifiers regulating the expression of a highly conserved genetic core that differs in males and females.

Mentorship opportunity: 

Immediately following Dr. Marrocco's presentation, audience members will have the opportunity to hear more about Dr. Marrocco's career. This is an excellent opportunity for trainees to ask questions and learn more about careers in women's health. 

Agenda:

9-9:45 : Speaker presentation

9:45-10:00: Question and answer period

10-10:30: Mentorship session

Important notice: This event has been postponed to a later date. Details coming soon. 

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