Skip to content
CIFAR header logo
fr
menu_mobile_logo_alt
  • About
    • Our Story
    • CIFAR 40
    • Awards
    • Partnerships
    • President’s Message
    • Publications & Reports
    • Careers
    • Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
  • News
  • People
    • Fellows & Advisors
    • CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars
    • Canada CIFAR AI Chairs
    • AI Strategy Leadership
    • Solution Network Members
    • Staff Directory
    • Leadership
  • Programs
    • Research Programs
    • Knowledge Mobilization
    • Pan-Canadian AI Strategy
    • Next Generation Initiatives
    • Global Call for Ideas
    • Action on Covid-19
  • Events
    • Public Events
    • Invitation-only Meetings
  • Support Us
  • fr
  • Home
  • Bio

Follow Us

post_content

Kieran O’Donnell

Appointment

  • Fellow
  • CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2016-2018
  • Child & Brain Development

Connect

Research Gate

About

How does our early experience influence vulnerability for later adverse mental health outcomes? This is the question that drives Kieran O’Donnell, a developmental psychobiologist.

His multidisciplinary research program combines psychiatric, genetic, epigenetic and epidemiological methods. His Epigenetics and Epidemiology lab seeks to better understand the biological embedding of early adversity and its association with altered child neurodevelopment. Specific areas of interest include studies on maternal perinatal mental health and child neurodevelopment, as well as epigenetic analyses of early intervention programs that seek to buffer the effects of adversity experienced early in life. The goal is to integrate relevant biological measures into studies of child neurodevelopment, to better identify and treat at-risk individuals, and thus help each child reach their full developmental potential.

Awards

  • CIFAR/NeuroDevNet Postdoctoral Fellowship

Relevant Publications

  • O’Donnell, K.J. et al. “The persisting effect of maternal mood in pregnancy on childhood psychopathology.” Dev Psychopathol 26, no. 2 (2014): 393–403.

  • O’Donnell, K.J. et al. “Maternal prenatal anxiety and child brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) genotype: Effects on internalizing symptoms from 4 to 15 years of age.” Dev Psychopathol 26, no. 4 Pt 2 (2014): 1255–1266.

  • O’Donnell, K.J. et al. “Maternal prenatal anxiety and downregulation of placental 11beta-HSD2.” Psychoneuroendocrinology 37, no. 6 (2012): 818–26.

Institution

  • Yale University

Department

School of Medicine

Education

  • PhD (Clinical Medicine), Imperial College London
  • MSc (Neuroscience), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London
  • BSc (Psychology), University of Westminster

Country

  • Canada

Support Us

CIFAR is a registered charitable organization supported by the governments of Canada, Alberta and Quebec, as well as foundations, individuals, corporations and Canadian and international partner organizations.

Donate Now
CIFAR header logo

Subscribe

Stay up to date on news & ideas from CIFAR.

MaRS Centre, West Tower
661 University Ave., Suite 505
Toronto, ON M5G 1M1 Canada

Contact Us
Media
Careers
Accessibility Policies
Supporters
Financial Reports
Subscribe

  • © Copyright 2022 CIFAR. All Rights Reserved.
  • Charitable Registration Number: 11921 9251 RR0001
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to collect information about how you interact with our website and allow us to remember you. We use this information in order to improve and customize your browsing experience and for analytics and metrics about our visitors both on this website and other media. To find out more about the cookies we use, see our Privacy Policy.
Accept Learn more