The Dunn Lab

Located in Boston, MA, the Dunn Lab is based in the Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit of the Center for Genomic Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (www.massgeneral.org). In the Dunn Lab, we study the causal mechanisms of mental illness and mental wellbeing across the lifespan. This includes the social and biological underpinnings of depression and anxiety among women, children, and other vulnerable populations, such as racial/ethnic minorities and people of low socioeconomic status. Our research projects include translational studies that utilize high genetic and epigenetic datasets to investigate biological processes underlying the effects of early life stress on mental health risk. We also use large, population-based datasets from longitudinal birth cohorts, coupled with novel machine learning methods, to identify sensitive periods in development when exposure to adversity is most harmful to mental health. Finally, we collect primary data: survey-based quantitative data; qualitative data from focus groups/interviews; and biological samples like children’s shed baby teeth, which we are exploring as potential markers of future depression risk. Our goal is to translate discoveries about the causal mechanisms underlying mental health risk and resilience into population-based preventive strategies that reduce the onset of brain-related health problems and promote brain health. Our Principal Investigator, Dr. Erin Dunn, is committed to leveraging lab members' collective differences, personal interests, and individual skills to do our best team science. Our lab members and collaborators have expertise across multiple disciplines, including epidemiology, genetics, dentistry, anthropology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and developmental neuroscience. Join us if you share a commitment to rid the world of brain diseases and like working on cutting-edge science that can improve the lives of individuals worldwide.