University of California-Davis · Microbiology & ImmunologyLasalle Neurodevelopment Lab
Janine M Lasalle · Davis, California
Research Focus
Dr. Janine M Lasalle's lab at UC Davis focuses on understanding how environmental factors, particularly exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), affect brain development and behavior, especially in relation to autism spectrum disorders. The lab investigates the molecular mechanisms behind neurodevelopmental disorders, including the roles of specific genes and epigenetic changes, aiming to uncover why boys are more severely affected than girls. Through innovative use of human samples and mouse models, the research seeks to identify protective mechanisms in the brain that could lead to new therapies for autism.
autismepigeneticspolychlorinated biphenylsneurodevelopmentgene regulationoxidative stressplacental biologymolecular mechanismsneuroprotection
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate the role of PCBs on gene-environment interactions in brain development.
AIM 02Characterize the function of the novel gene NHIP in neuronal response to oxidative stress.
AIM 03Determine sex-specific epigenetic differences in response to environmental exposures.
Skills the Lab Values
PCRcell culturemouse modelsRNA sequencingWestern blotbioinformaticsflow cytometrytranscription factor analysisgenetic manipulation
Output against the department
Publications317top 15% of dept.72nd of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations11ktop 32% of dept.157th of 486
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.