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Daniel Notterman is a Senior Research Scholar and Professor of Practice in the Department of Molecular Biology, specializing in the interactions between genetic variants and environmental signals that influence behavioral, cognitive, and emotional phenotypes in children. His research aims to unravel how specific genetic factors and environmental contexts contribute to behavioral health outcomes. Notterman's work has highlighted that women with a short, hypomorphic form of the serotonin transporter gene are more susceptible to postpartum depression under stressful socioeconomic circumstances, whereas those with a major allele exhibit different rates based on environment. This aligns with the concept of 'reactive alleles,' where genetic variants affect how organisms respond to their environments, leading to significant implications for understanding gene-environment interactions. Notterman leads his lab in collaborative research, notably contributing to the Future Families Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), which analyzes a cohort of 5,000 children from major U.S. cities, capturing genetic, epigenetic, and environmental data. His ongoing projects include comprehensive genotyping and studying the role of telomere length as a biological marker related to stress and health disparities throughout life. Additionally, his research in autism genetics involves family cohorts and the exploration of genetic and epigenetic differences among siblings with varying phenotypes.
GRE scores are not accepted. Ph.D. is the primary degree; students are not required to hold an M.S.E. prior to admission.